Warm flavours of thyme and rosemary with the melty goodness of cheddar – this dense, 20-Minute Irish Soda Bread is a fantastic accompaniment to winter soups and stews.
When I was younger, my family and I went on a trip to Ireland. It was a trip I will never forget for a number of reasons, but one thing was for sure – the food was to die for. I went into the trip thinking that I didn’t like fish and chips and came out of the trip knowing that I could never truly live without them. Perfectly golden brown and crispy – those fish and chips with tartar sauce are something that I still think about to this day. Probably more often than what would be considered normal.
In addition to the fish and chips was the soda bread. You guys. Have you had Irish soda bread before? Because if you haven’t then you need to make this Cheddar, Rosemary & Thyme Irish Soda Bread immediately. It’s an interesting bread because it isn’t light and fluffy like most yeast-based breads. In fact, this bread doesn’t have any yeast at all so requires no time for rising or proofing. It’s perfectly dense in all the right ways and has the most beautiful crispy, flaky crust on the outside. You know you’re a food nerd when you start using “beautiful” as a descriptor for bread.
One other thing that I might add – this is one of the easiest breads you will ever make. No need for fancy equipment or ingredients. Just combine everything into one bowl and knead a few times. Then shape the dough into a ball and throw it in the oven. Well maybe don’t throw it… a gentle toss would suffice.
There you have it, simple as that. And you thought you could never make your own bread?
Yields 1 large loaf
Warm flavours of thyme and rosemary with the melty goodness of cheddar - this dense, 20-Minute Irish Soda Bread is a fantastic accompaniment to winter soups and stews.
20 minPrep Time
35 minCook Time
55 minTotal Time
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk*
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (<20% M.F.)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Mix together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, minced garlic, rosemary and thyme in a large mixing bowl.
- Add buttermilk and beaten egg. Mix with a wooden spoon until most of the flour is worked in and a thick dough forms.
- Add shredded cheddar cheese and knead with you hands for about 1 minute. Shape into a round ball. Bake for 35 minutes or until a tester placed in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.
Notes
*Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 1 cup of milk and let sit for 5 minutes to make your own buttermilk
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