History of Irish Soda Bread
Irish Soda Bread is a classic quick baking bread from Ireland, surprisingly it comes as a shock to most people to learn that Irish Soda Bread is not in fact a thousand year old recipe. This is because Bicarbonate of Soda was first introduced into Ireland around 1840’s
Irish soda bread was made with traditional ingredients such as Flour, baking soda which was used as a leavening agent instead of yeast soured milk to moisten and activate the soda and salt. Before being baked the round small loaf was cross cut with a knife to make a cross allegedly to ward off the devil and evil spirits. The dough was baked in an oven or on a hot griddle which resulted in a small crusty loaf with a hard crust and soft dense bread with a slight sour and salt taste.
During the early 19th century rural bread making in Ireland was not traditionally using yeast to make bread and due to the poor conditions and lack of ingredients it was essential to make bread with whatever ingredients were available. The use of baking soda as a rising agent offered a quick low cost alternative to yeast and produced more consistent results than yeast baking. This led to a popular growth in the baking of this simple bread and it soon became the staple Irish daily bread and the recipes became commercially well known as Irish Soda Bread was produced in volume throughout Ireland and to Irish communities abroad.
The original Irish Soda Bread contained few ingredients today Irish Soda Bread follows the same simple recipe and some modern versions contain, sugar, currants, or caraway seeds to enhance the flavour. The Irish Soda Bread that we make at Machins master Baker has gone back to the traditional 1850’s recipes with a modern twist but still using traditional ingredients, baked the traditional way and produces a hearty bread that is a perfect compliment to soups, meaty stews and makes great toast or simply pulled apart with a knob of fresh unsalted butter.
Please try my Irish Soda Bread and I welcome your comments
