East Coast Soda Bread

A twist on traditional Irish Soda Bread from the east coast of Canada.

Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire. ~Gustav Mahler

When I was young I had the good fortune to travel to Ireland several times to visit with my mother’s family.

During one of these trips, my diminutive Granny Kelly taught me how to make her version of the traditional Irish Soda Bread.

There are, of course, many variations on the theme with a recipe that is baked in so many households. It always amazed me how such a similar range of ingredients could yield such varied results.

Granny’s is still my favorite – dense, wholesome and accompanied by memories of Irish butter and blackcurrant jam.

But what the winds blow differently on this side of the Atlantic and traditions adapt to new landscapes.

East Coast Soda Bread: molasses and oats. (Maybe next year with blackcurrant jam.)

Make sure to give your loaf time to cool completely before cutting into it. If you cut it too soon, the texture can be a bit sticky.

Be patient 🙂

(And remember to wrap the bread in a clean tea towel while it cools – just like Granny used to do.)

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East Coast Soda Bread

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

 

A variation of traditional Irish Soda Bread with molasses and oats. Goes well with butter and jam for breakfast or snack, or alongside a soup or main meal.

Type: Traditional

Servings: 8

Author: Mary - Ketchup With That

Ingredients

• 1½ cups / 375 ml all purpose flour
• 1½ cups / 500 oatmeal
• 1 cup / 250 ml whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml salt
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml baking soda
• 1 cup / 250 ml buttermilk
• 1/4 cup / 60 ml molasses (I use fancy molasses)
• 2 tablespoons / 30 ml vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon / 30 ml oatmeal (for sprinkling on baking sheet - optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F / 190 degrees C. Sprinkle a baking sheet with a tablespoon of oatmeal and set sheet aside.

2. In medium-siced mixing bowl, stir together all purpose flour, oats, whole wheat flour, salt and baking soda.

3. In separate bowl, beat milk, molasses and oil. Add to the flour mixture and stir until a smooth ball forms.

4. Place dough on prepared sheet and flatten to make a round loaf a few inches thick. Cut a cross on the top of the loaf before baking.

5. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until bread is browned and does not stick to baking sheet. The bottom of the bread should sound hollow when tapped. (If you are not sure, stick a toothpick into the center of the loaf - it should not feel gummy or sticky when you remove it if the bread is ready.) The top of the loaf should be somewhat crusty.

6. Remove bread from oven and wrap in a clean tea towel. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely before cutting. (Cooling is important as cutting too soon can create a gummy texture in the bread slices.)

Recipe Notes

If the dough is too soft to shape into a ball, add a few tablespoons of oatmeal until it is easier to handle.

If you want a lighter bread, you can increase the all purpose flour and decrease the amount of whole wheat flour.