Happy St. Patrick’s Day! In uncertain times, traditions (at least ones that still allow for responsible social distancing) are often my go-to to stay comforted. Chiefly among those various traditions is food: in all forms, from family, from holidays past or from more recent gatherings of roommates or coworkers or long-distance friends. Maybe now is even the time to create some new traditions that stabilize the uncertainty or ground us in delicious and memorable moments. One of the more holidays long-past traditions for my family is a big ol’ feast on St Paddy’s day, complete with hunks of corned beef, buttery cabbage, perfectly-roasted carrots, and even more buttery potatoes. For some, this holiday may be more centric on free-flowing taps of Guinness in crowded pubs, and by all means, preserve the former if you’re quarantined away from the latter, but don’t forget the corned beef! And definitely don’t forget this loaf of homey, warm-from-the-oven, traditional gluten free Irish Soda Bread!
This humble loaf is incredibly easy to make, and, being a quick bread, doesn’t require kneading or time to rise or any of that extra fuss that you may not have energy for in these chaotic times. Simply mix up the short list of ingredients below, plop it on a cookie sheet, and get that extra-good Irish butter read for slathering. A quick note on gluten free Irish Soda Bread – it’s Irish, as the name states, and it only relies on baking soda to rise to the occasion. It’s comforting and a tad sweet with little gems of dried currants dotted throughout. Definitely don’t go light on the butter, that’s one of the best parts of a thick slice of this.
This recipe is a Kendra Classic, though written about by me (Amelia – see our About page if you’re new to the Sisters Sans Gluten!). Kendgie is brilliant in the recipe development arena, and often comes up with new and daring dishes without much ado – they appear on the table to oohs and aahs (especially her decorated cakes – we’ll get one of those up here soon). Being Irish, as gluten free soda bread is, it’s also a fun nod to someone(s) deep in our family history (presumably – we’re pretty darn certain on the plethora of Scottish folk on both sides of the family, but hopefully we’ve got a bit of Irish in us too). At the very least, it’s a nod to the brilliant ways we can all share in each other’s food traditions, even while on a city-wide lock down that makes us go a little stir crazy. While you’re stuck inside, why not revel in the marvel of freshly baked gluten free bread or other scrumptious goodies. Looking for another simple recipe for the days ahead? Try these peanut butter and jelly bars, or this epic but simple (really) lemon poppyseed drizzle bundt, or our strawberry snacking cake! Or, if you’re looking for something green to celebrate the luck of the Irish, check out our pistachio snow cookies or this very verdant matcha tres leches cake! Stay safe folks and wash your hands!
Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread
Equipment
- 9 inch glass pie pan or cake pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 4 Cups gluten free 1-1 flour mix xanthan gum added (if it doesn't have xanthan gum, add 1 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 Tbsp white sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3 large eggs
- 2 Cup buttermilk
- 2 Tbsp melted salted butter
- 1/2 Cup dried currants optional
- 1 Tbsp melted salted butter for brushing on top
Instructions
- First, preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Line your 9-inch pie or cake pan with parchment paper and lightly grease, then set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter. Add in the egg mixture, stirring the dough with a spatula or wooden spoon until fully combined (do not over mix – it will be very thick at this point). Add in the currants and gently fold in to combine. Then, using floured hands, carefully mold the dough into a ball and place into your parchment paper-lined pan. Cut a shallow X into the top of the bread dough using a sharp knife, and then brush the entire dough ball (it should not change shape it should hold a firm round ball shape) with the melted butter before baking.
- Bake the bread for 40-50 minutes or until tops and edges are brown and firm to the touch. To test if it's truly done, stick a skewer into one of the cut crevices – if it comes out clean it is done, if not, leave in for 5-10 more minutes. Serve warm with lots of Irish butter!
Tag @sisterssansgluten on Instagram if you snap a photo of your bread!
Food photography and styling by Amelia Farber
One Comment
Pingback: