Makes3 (16-inch-long loaves)
- Active time:30 min
- Start to finish:2 1/2 hr (includes cooling)
ADAPTED FROM DOWNEY'S
March 2009
Baguette-like loaves make this Irish classic easy to slice, providing perfectly sized portions.
-
5
cups
whole-wheat flour (preferably stone-ground)
-
2 3/4
cups
all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
-
1/3
cup
packed dark brown sugar
-
2
teaspoons
baking soda
-
2
teaspoons
salt
-
2
sticks unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces
-
2 1/4
cups
well-shaken buttermilk at room temperature
-
2
large eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten
-
Accompaniments:
crème fraîche; jam
-
Preheat oven to 425ºF with rack in middle.
-
Blend flours, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and butter in a large bowl with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.
-
Stir in buttermilk and eggs until a smooth dough forms. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and divide into 3 pieces. Form each piece into a 16-inch-long log and arrange, evenly spaced, on a lightly floured baking sheet. Generously sprinkle with flour and cut 3 diagonal shallow slashes on each log with a very sharp knife.
-
Bake 30 minutes, then reduce oven to 375ºF and continue to bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted into center of a loaf comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
-
Transfer loaves to a rack to cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Cooks’ note: Soda bread is best the day it is made, but loaves can be tightly wrapped in 2 layers of foil and frozen 1 month. Refresh, wrapped in foil, in a 325ºF oven until heated through, about 20 minutes.
