Grandma's Irish Soda Bread Recipe With Raisins! (2024)

FAQs

Why do people put raisins in soda bread? ›

Adding raisins to this version of Irish soda bread adds a touch of sweetness that we've become accustomed to in the country. Some people also like to add dried currants but sometimes they're a little bit harder to come by.

Irish brown bread has a deep, nutty flavor because of its wheat flour and wheat bran while soda bread uses only white flour. Soda bread is slightly sweet and more scone-like while Irish brown bread is more savory with a tender interior.

It's called Irish Soda Bread because it's made with baking soda instead of yeast. Because of this, it's more dense than your everyday white sandwich bread.

Branded as Nellie Duncan Irish Soda Bread, it appears to be made in New York, unlike the other local grocery store options. It also contained much simpler ingredients compared to its grocery counterparts: Nine ingredients include flour, water, sugar, soy oil, butter, milk, raisins, baking powder and salt.

The Southern Irish regions bake their loaves in a classic round fashion and cut a cross on top of the bread. This was done for superstitious reasons, as families believed a cross on top of the bread would let the fairies out or ward off evil and protect the household.

Water is the most common soaking liquid, but fruit juices (like pineapple for Aunt Murna's Jam Cake), extracts and spirits (like rum and brandy) can also be used. Another liquid that many have never considered but is a natural choice is eggs.

How to Eat Irish Soda Bread. This versatile bread works for any meal, but Irish soda bread is a natural for breakfast, whether simply spread with (Irish) butter and jam or alongside that hearty fry-up known as a full Irish breakfast. It's also wonderful with a cup of tea in the afternoon or as a late-night snack.

It depends on where in Ireland you are: Down South, where I live, it's called white soda bread (with only white flour) or brown soda bread (with brown and white flour) and are created as a cake of bread.

You spent too much time kneading the dough. Baking soda starts to react and release its gas as soon as it comes into contact with the sour milk. Take too long and the gas will escape before the bread is baked.

Your oven is too hot if it is uncooked in the center. Try lowering the temp on your oven by 25F and extending the bake time. Don't put anything on the top of the bread to aid in browning until the last few min. of cooking, and use an instant read thermometer (target temp to pull is 190F).

Should Irish soda bread dough be sticky? ›

You're looking for a dough that's soft but not overly sticky or wet, and that holds together enough to make a loaf that can hold its shape on the sheet pan. If the dough is dry and crumbly, add up to 1/2 cup additional buttermilk, a tablespoon or so at a time, until it comes together.

Your dough can become sticky when you add too much water or the flour isn't suitable for the type of dough you are making. Over proofing or fermenting the dough can also result in the gluten structure weakening causing sticky dough.

Nutrition Notes

Whole-wheat soda bread is a healthy addition to your plate! One serving—a 1/2-inch-thick slice—provides complex carbohydrates for sustained energy, protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals.

Irish soda bread has a very mild flavor that can pair well with any kind of sandwich filling. Add Swiss cheese, corned beef, and sauerkraut for a classic savory sandwich combination. If you want to get creative, spread some apple butter on slices of toasted Irish soda bread and top them with freshly fried bacon.

At first, the raisin sinks because its density is greater than the carbonated liquid. Then the carbon dioxide bubbles stick to all of the little creases of the raisin and increase the raisin's volume. This helps it to displace more liquid and up it goes!

Carbon dioxide gas dissolved in soft drinks give them their fizz. In this experiement, carbon dioxide fizz from sprite will make the raisins "dance." From this experiment, students should understand that the raisins will sink initially because they are denser than the liquid they have been dropped in.

The slices are delicious simply spread with butter, jam, or marmalade. This bread can be toasted, too. Soda bread can be paired with any meal of the day. You can even bake it without the raisins to make a loaf to serve with savory dishes like soup, meat dishes, or to use for sandwiches.

Simple Explanation: Raisins are denser than water. So when raisins are added to the water, it just sinks. But when vinegar and baking soda are added in, they create a carbon dioxide gas which then attaches to the raisins- raising them to the surface.