Easy Soda Bread

Need a quick bread? No time to proof your yeast or let the bread rise (and rise again?)? Sometimes a simple bread is all you need.

This delicious soda bread harnesses the leavening powers of baking soda to provide its life. This recipe is an amalgamation of passed down recipes, several recipes pulled from cookbooks, and a few of my own twists, using ingredients in the pantry while attempting to keep it relatively healthy.

It's not traditional in any sense as it blends Irish, Welsh, and some Middle Eastern flavors together, but it makes a wonderfully all-purpose bread that pairs surprisingly well with a wide array of foods.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 45 minutes

Step 1: Ingredients

The ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (close to room temp)
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 tablespoon vinegar (I use date vinegar)
• 2 tablespoons date molasses

 some quick notes on the ingredients

Flour
I've found that about half whole-wheat and half white is the perfect mix. any more whole wheat and it falls apart, any less and it loses some character.

Milk
Traditionally, many soda breads call for buttermilk. I don't usually have buttermilk on hand, but I do have milk and something to sour it with. I use date vinegar as it provides a subtle yet interesting character. You could easily substitute lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. And if you really wanted, you could probably use buttermilk as well.

Sweetener
I love date molasses. It has a richness and sweetness vastly different than other sweeteners. Its higher in nutrients than many, and as it is pure fruit, it has a lower Glycemic Index score as well. But you can use any sweetener you prefer, from white sugar to honey to agave nectar. The beauty of this recipe is its ability to be modified without difficulty.

Comments

[jrossetti]

I normally make 1 soda bread each week, so this week I decided to try your recipe (it's only slightly different, but there's a bazillion different recipes/concepts out there), here it is: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrossetti/5641932682/

Tastes great. I'd never thought of using molasses, but I like it! I hope you'll agree with me in that soda bread makes THE BEST toast, hands down, period.

Thanks for sharing!

[djeucalyptus]

Awesome. glad to know it turned out well for ya and that you like it! Thanks for the photo!

Most soda bread recipes really are a derivative of the same recipe, but slight variations can make a pretty significant difference in flavor... which is part of the reason I like it so much.

And hands down, the best toast in the world. I agree 100%!

[mackbuck]

Looks very easy indeed.

[jessyratfink]

This looks fantastic! I think I might try it today, looks very easy. :D

[djeucalyptus]

Thanks!

It really is as easy as it looks... and it always comes out good no matter how much I mess it up! Let me know what you think if you try it.

[capricorn]

Thank you for sharing mate, much appreciated.

Tell me. I do put a bowl of water in the oven to give it a damp warmth. is this necessary here as well?

Again thank you :)

[djeucalyptus]

Thanks! I've tried this recipe both with and without water in the oven and I havent't noticed any significant difference. Lately, I've just been skipping it. Although I never open the oven door until the bake time is up.