Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

Soda Bread

• 900g High Protein Farm Flour
• 14g Ballerina Farm Coarse Grey French Salt
• 10g baking soda (arm and hammer)
• 25g raw sugar (any raw cane sugar)

To make 12-14 large scones:

• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cups milk
• ½ cup cream
• 3 eggs

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 450 F. Sieve all the dry ingredients together.
2. Rub in the butter.
3. Whisk the milk with the cream and the egg.
4. Make a well in the centre, pour in the liquid and mix to a soft dough.
5. Turn out onto a floured board.
6. Knead lightly, just enough to shape into a round.
7. The key is to handle it as little as possible.
8. Roll out to about 2.5cm (1 inch) thick and cut out into scones.
9. Put onto a baking sheet.
10. Brush the tops with egg wash and dip in rolled oats or sugar if using.
11. Bake in a hot oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on top.
12. Cool on a wire rack. 

Makes two loaves of soda bread:

• 3 cups buttermilk

1. Sieve the dry ingredients into a large bowl.
2. Make a well in the centre.
3. Pour most of the milk in at once.
4. Using one hand, mix in the flour from the sides of the bowl, adding more milk if necessary.
5. The dough should be softish, not too wet and sticky.
6. When it all comes together, turn it out onto a well-floured worked surface.
7. Tidy it up and flip over gently.
8. Pat the dough into a round, about 4cm (1 ½ inches) deep and cut a cross on it to let the fairies out!
9. Bake in a hot oven, 450ºF for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 400ºF for 30 minutes or until cooked.
10. If you are in doubt, tap the bottom of the bread: if it is cooked it will sound hollow.