Irish Cheddar White Soda Bread

“The grand symbol of Ireland’s baking, Irish soda bread is defined not by the baking soda but by the soft white wheat that grows in Ireland,” writes Brian Hart Hoffman, founder and editor-in-chief of Bake from Scratch magazine. “Low in gluten and protein, the soft Irish wheat receives a boost from baking soda, invented in the 1800s and an immediate game changer for Irish baking. Slashed with a cross and pricked to release heat—or fairies?—our traditional soda bread is enhanced with strong Irish Cheddar, fresh dill, and ground black pepper.”

Ingredients:

  • 3 2/3 cups (458 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. (4.5 g) kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. (2.5 g) baking soda
  • 1 cup (113 g) coarsely grated Irish aged white cheddar cheese, divided
  • 1 Tbs. (2 g) chopped fresh dill
  • 1/2 tsp. (1 g) freshly ground pepper
  • 2 cups (480 g) whole buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 450°F (230°C).

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda until well combined. Stir in 2/3 cup (75 g) cheese, the dill and pepper. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk. Using your hand like a claw, mix the buttermilk into the dry ingredients, working from the center to the outside of the bowl, just until combined and a ball of dough forms. (The dough should be sticky and slightly clumpy.)

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, gently shape the dough into a round. Turn the dough over and tuck and rotate the dough until the edges are rounded and even. Transfer to a sheet of parchment paper and pat into a disk 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) thick. Using a knife dipped in flour, cut an “X” 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep across the dough. Using the tip of the knife, prick a hole into each of the four sections of dough. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup (38 g) cheese on top. Transfer with the parchment paper to a baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) and bake until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into a section of the bread registers 200°F (93°C), 15 to 20 minutes more. (If you tap bottom of loaf, it should sound hollow.) Remove from the pan and place on a wire rack. Let cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes. Best served warm. Makes one 10-inch (25-cm) loaf.

Recipe courtesy of Brian Hart Hoffman, founder and editor-in-chief of Bake from Scratch