If you’ve come across a gorgeous recipe on Pinterest lately, chances are it’s one of Sally McKenney’s recipes. That’s because Sally’s Baking Addiction is one of the most beloved food blogs out there, and for good reason—the recipes are foolproof, delicious and packed with personality.
For Sally, the recipes are near and dear to her heart. “I grew up watching my grandmother in the kitchen, in awe of all the foods she knew how to make from scratch, namely her pecan pie, cherry pie, and Irish soda bread. She passed away in 2011 and 2 weeks later, I started my food blog.” Sally says it took her a little while to find her grandmother’s treasured St. Patty’s Day recipe for Irish soda bread, but when she did, she made it over and over until she got it just right.
“I make it every March on her birthday, March 17,” she says. And for the last decade since her recipe was published, the internet has been raving, making it a go-to for all the Irish soda bread lovers out there. “I absolutely LOVE IT!!! It came out perfect!! A wonderful crusty outside & deliciously soft inside,” says one fan on her blog with another saying “Even a day later, it’s lovely slathered in butter.” There’s a reason this recipe makes the rounds every St. Patrick’s Day—it’s a classic that delivers every single time.
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What Is Irish Soda Bread?
Irish soda bread is one of those recipes that proves that simplicity can be magic. There’s no waiting around for this bread to rise, (almost) no kneading and no fussing. It’s usually made with four ingredients: flour, baking soda, buttermilk and salt. The magic lies in the chemical reaction between the baking soda and the buttermilk (an acid, so Sally says be sure not to substitute this ingredient). That’s how this quick bread comes to rise. And if you want to do it the right way, take a page from traditionalists who have been making this for decades.
Sally’s version, inspired by her grandmother’s cherished recipe, incorporates the traditional ingredients you would find in an Irish soda bread but she adds a touch of sugar and butter for richness, plus a handful of raisins. The result is a perfectly dense, slightly tangy loaf with a golden, crisp crust on the outside that is moist and tender on the inside. Even better, it comes together in about an hour flat.
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How to Make the Best-Ever Irish Soda Bread
Start by preheating your oven to 400° and lining a baking sheet or Dutch oven with parchment paper. Sally says you can also use a cast-iron skillet for this because it helps crisp up the bottom crust nicely.
In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk and an egg and set aside. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in your cubed, unsalted butter next. A tip from Sally? Make sure your butter is cold. “The same as when you make scones or pie crust,” she says, “cutting cold butter into the flour is key to soda bread and makes for a deliciously flaky texture.” You can do this with a pastry cutter, two forks, or even just use your hands to break the butter pieces down into pea-sized bits that get coated in the flour.
Add raisins next, then the buttermilk mixture. Turn out onto a floured board and knead until it comes together and is no longer dry (about 30 seconds). Transfer to your prepared vessel and with a sharp knife, score an ‘X’ on top. Bake for 45-55 minutes and then let rest for 10 minutes to cool before slicing and serving. Whether you slather this with butter, drizzle it with honey, or just enjoy it plain, one thing’s for sure: it’ll make you wish you had an Irish grandma (or appreciate yours even more).
As one commenter on Sally’s blog put it, “It is the grandmas that are so often the inspiration for the kitchen! I hope our generation keeps that tradition going.” We do too.
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