Hilary, I don't do soda bread but here's a recipe for wheaten loaf which is gorgeous. I make 3 every week.

WHEATEN LOAF

12 oz wheaten meal
4 oz plain flour
2 oz butter
2 level tsps baking powder
2 level tsps baking soda
2 level tsps sugar
2 level tsps golden syrup or honey (I use the syrup)
1 tsp salt
three quarters of a pint of buttermilk

Thoroughly mix all dry ingredients.

Add syrup, butter (I melt it in the microwave first)
and buttermilk. MIX

Place in a 2 lb loaf tin and sprinkle with porridge oats.

Bake at about 150 degrees C for around 30 mins. Test with a skewer and if the skewer comes out dry, its cooked.

Wrap it in a clean tea towel until it cools.

ENJOY with thick butter and cheese. (I'm on a diet) so that's a no no for me.

I'm sure someone else will give you the soda bread recipe. If not, I'll look it up for you.

Sorry Thelma, I realise now that it's you who asked for the recipe. As you can see, even at this early hour my brain cells are befuddled. Hope Hilary tries it anyway. Have to keep up the high fibre.

Sweet Irish Soda Bread
Recipe courtesy Food Network Kitchens
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
1 egg, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup currants
2 tablespoons toasted caraway seeds
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon sanding sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix well. Cut the butter and shortening into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Using your fingers, work the cold butter and shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg, the buttermilk, the currants and the caraway seeds and mix into the flour mixture until it is incorporated. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently until the dough forms a smooth ball. Place the dough into a lightly greased loaf pan. Score the top of the loaf with a very sharp knife. Brush the top of the loaf with melted butter. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Place the loaf in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Donald

Here,s another one
Irish soda bread is dead easy to make. It can have as few as four ingredients and uses no yeast, relying instead on the reaction between baking soda and buttermilk for leavening. This produces a reliable rise every time, no matter how inexperienced you are are baking. The four base ingredients are flour, buttermilk, baking soda and salt.
Irish soda breads are slightly denser than most breads because they have no yeast. They do no have the means to develop any of the nice, open holes that can be seen in, for example, french baguettes. The loaves are very quick to make, however, and the slight denseness makes them tasty and unique. Ths hearty bread pairs well with soups and meat dishes. The crust that develops as it bakes means that it makes outstanding toast, too.
Another good thing about soda bread is that it is versatile, especially in terns of flavors. While the base can be very plain, you can add carraway, which is fairly traditional, or currants for a sweeter bread. I like adding a mixed variety of raisins to mine and a pinch of sugar, which helps with browning. Some people use all whole wheat flour in their soda breads and others like to keep them lighter by using only all-purpose flour. While any combination of all purpose and whole wheat flours will work, the best variation, in my opinion, uses 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1/4 cup oat flour. The whole wheat flour gives it a distinctive taste and the oat flour keeps the bread a little bit moist.
Whip this up when you walk in the door after work and let it cool while you prepare dinner. The bread should be cooled completely or almost completely before slicing.

Irish Soda Bread
2 cups flour (all purpose or half whole wheat*)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp caraway seeds (optional)
1/2 cup raisins
7/8 cup buttermilk (plus 1 tbsp, if necessary)

Preheat oven to 400F.
Stir together flour, baking soda, salt, sugar and caraway seeds. Stir raisins into the flour mixture. Pour in buttermilk, adding an additional tablespoon, if necessary, and mix into shaggy ball.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead four about 2-3 minutes until the ball is fairly smooth. Form into a 6-inch, rounded ball and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cut a deep cross in the top with a sharp knife.
Bake 32-35 minutes, until the top is well browned. A toothpick will come out clean when inserted into the center.
Cool almost completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Makes 1 loaf, serves 6-8.


favorite flour combination, 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1/4 cup oat flour
Donald

Donald, you can cook as well. Don't let on to Low Roader as men are definitely not allowed in the kitchen.

Low Roader How is it nearly all the bakers r men???? Pat

Listen up you two.
This ganging up on old men is not on.

The fact that the men have become involved in this discussion is simply because " we are the bestest at it".
I personally do a mean fillet steak (only once a year mind you - OAP and fixed pension etc.)

As the original request was for soda bread may I enquire, without being verbally abused, why the answer gave a recipe for something totally different?
I am told that Jeffers in The Square or The Country Kitchen in Sloan Street are very good home bakerys.
Use of these may allow you increase your knowledge of Eng. Lit.......














...or better still ask Big Brother/ Uncle as he will be well above your knowledge level.
(I have just got out my tin helmet and gas mask c1940)

Ann and Donald, thanks so much for the recipies. I can't wait to try them this week.

Thelma

In my original reply to Thelma, I did tell her that I didn't "do" soda bread. My recipe for wheaten loaf is a very old one and I thought I would pass it on. It is delicious. Have a try at it LR. Anyway, there's nothing as simple to cook as a fillet steak. Just stick it under the grill and turn once. BIG DEAL!! Big brother cannot cook, albeit he has enough other talents to make up for this. Mind you, he can't be that clever. My son caught several lovely trout at the weekend. He cleaned and filletted two and I took them to big brother, nicely wrapped in tin foil. The trout, not big brother. When I called with him on Wednesday, he informed me that he and his wife ate one and threw the other one into the fire because, in his words, "you get fed up with them". I'll not give you my son's reaction to this, but BB will not be getting fresh trout for a while. Yes, he does have a freezer.