Hello! Happy Monday! I hope wherever you are, you are happy and healthy and ready to try something new in the kitchen! It’s St Patties day tomorrow — and while it doesn’t really feel like a time to celebrate, we can all have our own celebrations at home with this Irish Soda Bread, Chocolate Almond Irish Soda Bread that is! Super simple and sure to put a smile on you and your families face — this is just the thing you need amongst all this crazy.
This bread is a super easy and versatile. As a no yeast bread, its something you can throw together last minute without any rest time. I mean, who doesn’t love that??
All of the leavening that happens in this bread is from the baking soda that is in the recipe. It also has buttermilk which chemically reacts with the baking soda to give you the lift and texture of bread. If you dont have buttermilk on hand, never fear. You can make your own by combining a tablespoon of white vinegar with a cup of regular milk. Just let it sit for about 5 minutes and voila! a buttermilk substitute you can use any time.
Traditionally, Irish soda bread is made with raisins — I have no idea why — maybe someone can tell me down below. 🙂 I substituted chocolate and almonds instead of raisins but you can put them in, leave them out…up to you!
I hope you enjoy this easy bread recipe with all the free time you have now. 🙂 See ya next time!
XO,
Danielle
Want more irish inspired recipes? Check them out here!
Chocolate Almond Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 Cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 4 1/4 Cup all-purpose flour (plus more for your hands and counter)
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- optional: 1/2 cup chocolate chips; 1/2 Cup slivered almonds
Instructions
- Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). There are options for the baking pan. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, use a seasoned 10-12 inch cast iron skillet, or grease a 9-10 inch cake pan or pie dish. Set aside.
- Whisk the buttermilk and egg together. Set aside. Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers. Work the dough until into coarse crumbs, then stir in the chocolate and almonds. Pour in the buttermilk/egg mixture. Gently fold the dough together until dough it is too stiff to stir. With floured hands on a lightly floured surface, work the dough into an (approximately) 8 or 9 inch round loaf as best you can. Knead the dough for about 30 seconds or until all the flour is moistened. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared skillet/pan. Using a very sharp knife, score an X into the top. Bake until the bread is golden brown and center appears cooked through, about 45 minutes. Loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil if you notice heavy browning on top. I usually place foil on top halfway through bake time.
- Remove from the oven and allow bread to cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm, at room temperature, or toasted with desired toppings/spreads.
- Cover and store bread at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also freeze the bread for up to 3 months, whole or sliced.
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