soda bread is easily my favorite baked good. whether it's fresh out of the oven, a few days old, slathered with butter or jam, or plain, soda bread is one of those foods that speaks to me. i chose to post two irish soda bread recipes - one is grain and gluten free soda bread that is almond-based. the other is a whole wheat recipe that resembles a more traditional st. patty's day soda bread (i figured i shouldn't deprive poor frank of some soda bread just because i can't eat wheat). i was curious as to how the gluten free/grain free soda bread would compare to the wheat soda bread. i have to say its consistency is obviously different, but the taste was spot on! needless to say, i was impressed. in any event, whichever soda bread recipe you choose you will not be disappointed!
the whole wheat soda bread recipe (which is seen above on the dish towel) originally called for 4 cups whole wheat flour. i substituted 2 cups with whole wheat pastry flour just to make it a little softer and not as grain-y. the recipe does not call for any sweetener, i chose not to add any simply because i don't like my soda bread sweet, plus i figured it's healthier without the sugar. if you do want to add sugar, i would say 1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons should sweeten things up a bit. also, i used yogourt here. alternatively, you can substitute it with buttermilk, or even sour cream. and lastly, because this was a real irish soda bread recipe, it did't call for currants (apparently that's an american thing), but i love currants, especially in soda bread! so i added them.
// gluten free irish soda bread
recipe adapted from Elana's Pantry
pre heat oven to 350°
line a baking sheet with parchment paper
// ingredients
2 3/4 cups almond flour
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup dried currants
2 eggs (room temperature)
2 tablespoons raw honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
// directions
in a large bowl, combine the almond flour, salt, baking soda, and currants. mix with a whisk
in a small bowl, whisk eggs with honey and apple cider vinegar
using a spatula, mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients
place dough on the parchment paper lined baking sheet and form dough into a flattened disk - about 8" across, and 1 1/2" tall
using a sharp knife, score the dough a half inch deep, making an "x" over the top
bake for 20 minutes. then, turn oven off and leave in the oven for another 10 minutescool bread before serving, and enjoy
// whole wheat irish soda bread
adapted from: the dish towel with no author
pre heat oven to 375°
line a baking sheet with parchment paper
// ingredients
2 cups stone ground whole wheat flour
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
3/4 cup dried currants
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups yogourt (i used 2% fage greek yogourt)
// directions
in a large bowl, mix flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and currants
in a medium bowl, beat egg and add yogourt - combine
add the wet ingredients to the dry - combine with a spatula
when dough gets crumbly, start kneading it
divide into 2 equal, slightly flattened rounds
slash the tops with a knife
bake for 35 minutes
enjoy your weekend and/or st. patty's day!