Whole Wheat Soda Bread
This simple quick bread is made with just a few basic ingredients. It gets its name from the baking soda that’s used as the leavening agent, which reacts with the acids in the buttermilk to give the bread the rise it needs. In old Irish lore, it’s said that the criss-cross in the top is to ward off evil spirits! Serve it with sweet cream butter and preserves or marmalade for a delicious breakfast or snack.
Yield: 1 Loaf
WHOLE WHEAT SODA BREAD
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 55 Min
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups The Old Mill Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 cup The Old Mill Unbleached Plain White Flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup raisins
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/3 cups buttermilk
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place the whole wheat flour and white flour in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the baking soda and salt, and whisk to combine. Stir in the raisins. Cut the butter into tablespoons and each tablespoon into four pieces. Scatter these pieces of butter on top of the flour mixture and cut into the mixture using two knives, a pastry blender, or a food processor, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg and buttermilk, and stir until the dough pulls together into a sticky ball.
- With floured hands, turn the dough onto a sheet pan. Form the ball into a smooth round, about 10 inches across. Flour a sharp paring knife, and cut a cross into the top of the loaf. Place the pan in the oven.
- Bake until deeply golden brown, about 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool before slicing. Best if cooled, wrapped in foil, and sliced the next day.