Sourdough Irish Soda Bread

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I made this Sourdough Irish Soda Bread this afternoon for our St. Paddy's dinner.

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Here is the recipe you requested. It calls for currants but I like my soda bread with caraway seeds. I also found I needed more buttermilk than what was in the recipe, I made the dough wetter like the consistency of a biscuit or scone with extra buttermilk. The buttermilk I used was on the thicker side so that may be the reason. 

http://www.turnips2tangerines.com/2014/03/sourdough-irish-soda-bread.html

I am not terribly fond of caraway so I will probably skip it. And thank you for the hint about extra buttermilk. 

First time I've ever heard of sourdough in soda bread - I can't see the purpose really - it might add a bit more flavour but the whole point of soda bread is that it's not fermented - it's as instant a bread as you can get (I do note that that recipe doesn't actually have a fermentation phase, so just for flavour...)

I like soda bread though - I typically make it out of wholemeal flour (spelt or wheat) and add "bits" in like my usual seed mix or a handful of granary style flour. Buttermilk isn't always easy to get here (UK), so I just use plain yoghurt & milk or sometimes beer - essentially anything a little acidic to set off the bicarb... It's just a big scone[1] afterall :-)

Yours does look good though!

-Gordon

[1] which I understand is what leftpondians call "biscuit" ...

I made my dinner and served the bread. I love soda bread and this one was excellent for flavor, crumb and moisture. Sometimes when I make it, it seems a bit too dry but this bread was not and the crust seemed a bit crisper than a regular loaf. I'm not sure if it was the starter but it was one of the best I have ever made. 

I made my dinner and served the bread. I love soda bread and this one was excellent for flavor, crumb and moisture. Sometimes when I make it, it seems a bit too dry but this bread was not and the crust seemed a bit crisper than a regular loaf. I'm not sure if it was the starter but it was one of the best I have ever made. 

your bread looks fantastic. i'll will try your recipe. i do not like regular irish soda bread but i do love bread with caraway seeds. i'm half irish,half german; guess the german side won on this bread.

claudia

you need to make holes in it to let the fairies out...having said that i dont see the point in a sourdough soda bread....