Yield: 8 slices

Irish Soda Bread (Tender, Never Dense or Gummy)

A traditional loaf of flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk, with the dough cues and the doneness test that keep it from turning dense or gummy.

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time30 minutes

Cooling30 minutes

Total Time1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour, 500 g, spooned into the cup and leveled, plus extra for dusting
• 1 teaspoon baking soda, about 5 g; use a fresh box and sift it
• 1 teaspoon fine salt, about 6 g
• 1 2/3 cups buttermilk, about 410 g, cold from the refrigerator

Instructions

1. Heat the oven. Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 450 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl. Sift the baking soda over the top through a fine sieve, then whisk again so no bitter pockets of soda remain.
3. Add the buttermilk. Make a well in the center and pour in the cold buttermilk. Stir with a fork or your fingertips for about 30 seconds, only until no dry flour is visible. The dough should look shaggy and feel soft and just barely sticky.
4. Shape quickly. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter. Pat and fold it two or three times, then press it into a round about 7 inches across and 1 1/2 inches thick. Do not knead; overworking makes the crumb tough.
5. Cut the cross. Lift the round onto the lined sheet. With a floured knife, cut a deep cross across the top, going about three quarters of the way through the loaf.
6. Bake hot. Bake at 450 F for the first 15 minutes, until the crust has set and begun to color.
7. Lower the heat and finish. Reduce the oven to 400 F and bake about 15 minutes more, for roughly 30 minutes in total. The loaf is done when the crust is deep golden and it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
8. Cool wrapped. Move the loaf to a wire rack and wrap it loosely in a clean kitchen towel. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing so the center can set.

Notes

Metric weights are rounded. Cup measures assume flour spooned and leveled; weighing the flour is the more reliable method.

Baked at 450 F for the first part, then 400 F, for about 30 minutes in total. This follows one sourced temperature plan rather than a mix of several.

Nutrition values are estimates calculated from typical USDA FoodData Central values for enriched all-purpose flour, cultured low-fat buttermilk, baking soda and table salt, per 1 of 8 slices. They are not measured.