Soda Bread

Oh how I do love me some good homemade soda bread slathered in butter and served alongside some sharp Irish Cheddar Cheese! We enjoyed this gorgeous loaf of bread with our St. Patrick's Day dinner recently and this is actually my favorite loaf of Soda Bread I've made so far. I've tried a handful of recipes over the years! I've previously shared Irish Brown Soda Bread but I think this one bumps that one to be revisited next year.

This perfect loaf is mild in flavor, with a beautiful tender crumb. The leftovers didn't last very long in our house at all (neither did the Irish Cheddar)!

Soda Bread adapted from Dinner at the Zoo

Ingredients
4 cups all purpose flour plus more for dusting the work surface
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter cold, cut into small pieces
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
1 egg
cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a round baking pan (I typically use a pie plate) with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, combine your flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. Use a pastry cutter and cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse peas.
3. Make a well in the center of mixture, and pour in the buttermilk and add the egg. Use a fork and blend bread dough until combined. Dough will be tacky.
4. With floured hands, shape dough into a round loaf and place in the prepared pan.
5. Score the top of the loaf with an X.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown and skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool / rest at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.