Irish Soda Bread with Fireworks Honey Lavender Sea Salt

by Jessica Jacobson
This recipe is adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction blog. She swears by the buttermilk. It gives it a wonderful scone-like flaky crust. In fact, this bread is like one giant delicious currant scone. Spread on Fireworks Honey Lavender Sea Salt and you are in for a luscious treat!

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for your hands and counter
  • 3 tbs granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 5 tbs cold butter, try the Honey lavender sea salt if you have it! Cut and cubed
  • 1 cup raisins or currants

Instructions:

  1. 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 my favorite the cast iron skillet or grease a 9-10 inch cake pan or pie dish. Set aside.
  2. 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 currants. Pour in the buttermilk/egg mixture. Gently fold the dough together until dough it is too stiff to stir. Pour crumbly dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With floured hands, work the dough into a ball as best you can, then knead for about 30 seconds or until all the flour is moistened. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour.
  3. Transfer the dough to the prepared skillet/pan. I used Pam cooking spray and it was perfect. 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.
  4. 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 Fireworks Honey Lavender Sea Salt butter.
  5. Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Tips for Success:

  1. Don’t over-work the dough. It’s supposed to look a little shaggy.
  2. Score the top of the dough with an “X” before baking. This helps the center bake through.
  3. You can bake Irish soda bread on a baking sheet, in a baking pan, or in a cast iron skillet. I recommend a cast iron skillet because it helps guarantee a super crispy crust. 
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