Ingredients:
All-purpose flour – Unbleached white flour is easy and gives consistent results.
Baking soda – This is the rising agent, working with the acidity of the buttermilk and starter to give the bread rise.
Salt – Sea salt adds flavor and balance.
Unsalted butter – Cold butter cut into small pieces for blending into the flour.
Buttermilk – This acidic ingredient reacts with the baking soda to rise the bread.
Egg – An egg adds more structure to this loaf.
Cane sugar – A very small amount for just a touch of sweetness.
Sourdough starter – You can use active starter or discard.
How to Make Sourdough Irish Soda Bread:
Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F. During this time, we will prepare the bread for baking, ensuring a nice, hot oven when it’s time to bake.
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper for easy cleanup and no sticking.
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to your large bowl, stirring well to combine. What’s more dissatisfying than a surprising clump of baking soda?
Chop the cold butter into small pieces, then add it to the dry ingredients.
Using either your hands or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour mixture until it becomes crumbly with the butter in pea-sized or smaller pieces.
In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, sugar, and sourdough starter or discard until combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, then mix somewhat tenderly until just combined. You don’t want to overmix.
Turn out the dough on a clean work surface and form it into a round loaf.
Place onto your prepared baking sheet, then score a deep cross or X on the top of the loaf. This will help the bread to bake more evenly (plus it’s tradition!).
Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 50-65 minutes, checking at the 30-minute mark. If the top of the bread is getting too dark, cover it loosely with a piece of aluminum foil while it finishes baking.
Bake time will depend on how wide or how tall the loaf is shaped.
Cool the loaf on a wire rack completely before slicing. Serve and enjoy!
Storage
While this fresh bread is truly best eaten the same day, you can also store it in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. Make sure it’s fully cooled first.
For longer storage, wrap the cooled loaf in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight, freezer-safe container for several months. Thaw at room temperature.
