Irish Soda Bread was traditionally cooked over the fire
in a pot similar to the once shown above (bottom left)
Irish Soda Bread - Gluten Free Traditional Irish Recipes
Unfortunately many traditional Irish recipes are not gluten free but they can be adapted to suit those on a gluten free diet. Soda Bread can be made with gluten free flour and other recipes for soups and stews can be made gluten free. It is important to check the labels of any additives added to food as well, many thickening agents also contain gluten. Gluten-free flour can be made from almonds, rice or corn for example. Gram flour is also a suitable alternative to normal flour which is made from wheat which contains gluten. Corn starch or eggs are ideal additives to soda bread, they act as a rising agent and give the bread its fluffy texture. Potatoes are gluten free, this is particularly good news as the potato features in many Irish recipes! Potato Starch is a great example of a gluten free additive and is particularly useful for home made soups.
Irish Soda Bread with Raisins Recipe
This Irish soda bread recipe is easy to follow and delicious! Traditionally the soda bread would have been made with Buttermilk, it is more acidic than regular milk and has a distinct tangy flavour and produces a bread with a much nicer texture. The choice is however up to you, don't go to the store just to buy some buttermilk, regular milk will work fine!
Irish Soda Bread with Raisins - Ingredients
450g All purpose flour
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
1 teaspoon salt
300ml milk
Irish Soda Bread with Raisins - Method
Preheat the oven to 200c
In a large bowl, sift in the flour
Add the sugar, salt, cream of tartar, ginger and bicarbonate of soda
Stir in the milk until a soft dough is achieved
Lightly dust the work surface with flour and shape the dough into a circle shape
Using a large knife, cut a cross into the top of the bread (to achieve the result shown below)
Bake for approx 45 minutes
Irish Soda Bread - Wheaten
To make a delicious wheaten or brown version of soda bread, simply substitute the all purpose flour in the recipe with whole wheat flour. It is not advised to add fruit to wheaten soda bread but this is a matter of personal taste. Plain wheaten bread makes an ideal accompaniment for soups. It is also a popular choice in pre dinner bread baskets, served daily in restaurants all over Ireland.
Irish Soda Bread - Treacle Bread
Treacle bread is made in the same way as traditional soda bread with the extra ingredient of treacle! Often the treacle is substituted with Molasses which is very similar. The choice between treacle or molasses is down to personal preference. Fruit is not usually added to treacle bread, again this is down to personal taste.
Irish Soda Bread - Treacle Bread - Ingredients
1lb All purpose Flour
7fl ozs of Milk (buttermilk can be used according to taste)
2 tablespoons of Treacle or Dark Molasses
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon of Cream of Tartar
1/2 Teaspoon of ground Ginger
1 Teaspoon of Bicarbonate of Soda
Irish Soda Bread - Treacle Bread - Method
Preheat the oven to 200c
Heat the milk and Molasses (or treacle) in a saucepan
In a large bowl, sift in the flour
Add the sugar, salt, cream of tartar, ginger and bicarbonate of soda
Stir in the milk and molasses mixture until a soft dough is achieved
Lightly dust the work surface with flour and shape the dough into a circle shape
Using a large knife, cut a cross into the top of the bread (to achieve the result shown below)
Bake for approx 45 minutes
Picture of a Traditional Irish Soda Bread with Raisins
Irish Soda Bread - Irish Potato Bread
Irish Potato bread was originally created as a way of using up the leftovers of mashed potato. It is usually served to accompany a traditional Irish breakfast and is also a popular daytime snack particular in the province of Ulster. Potato bread is usually served warm and buttered, either grilled or fried. Toppings such as marmalade, honey, maple syrup or jam are added for sweetness, an Irish version of the pancake! Potato bread is also a savoury treat, serve with baked beans instead of toast for an Irish twist to beans on toast! Potato bread is also known by a variety of other names including Potato Cake, Fadge, Slims and Tatie bread, it is a very traditional dish. To make Potato bread, a portion of the flour is replaced with potato, the amount of flour replaced by potato depend on taste, a simple recipe for potato bread is below.
Picture of a Irish Potato Bread also known as Potato Farls
Irish Soda Bread - Potato Bread
Potato bread is also known as potato 'farls'. It is popular in both Northern and Southern Ireland and is an essential ingredient in the 'Ulster Fry' breakfast famous in Northern Ireland. Unlike soda bread, the dough is rolled out until almost flat, it is then cut into quarters and fried or cooked on a griddle rather than baked in an oven.
Irish Soda Bread - Potato Bread - Ingredients
Irish Soda Bread - Potato Bread - Method
Add the salt and butter to a large bowl
Sift in enough flour to make a pliable dough, add more as necessary
Divide the dough into four equal parts
Roll the dough out on a floured surface creating four circles 22 cm (approx 9 in) in diameter and 5 mm (approx 1/4 in) thick
Cut each circle into quarters and bake on a hot griddle or pan for about 5 minutes or until browned on both sides
Irish Soda Bread - Potato Bread - Ideas
For a drier bread use a dusting of flour instead of butter to grease the baking surface
For a healthier option with less fat, replace the fresh mashed potato with dried potato flakes
