Whole-Wheat Irish Soda Bread Recipe
Serves: 1 loaf
 
Ingredients
  • A little avocado oil or olive oil or a clean cooking spray
  • 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, white whole wheat flour, whole wheat flour or whole spelt flour
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour or white spelt flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ⅓ cup roasted pistachios (salted or unsalted) (optional)
  • ⅓ cup unsulphured golden/green raisins (the label should just list raisins as the one ingredient) (optional)
  • 2¼ cups buttermilk*
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with a little oil or cooking spray and sprinkle with a little flour.
  2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir in pistachios and raisins. Make a well in the center and pour in buttermilk. Using one hand, stir in full circles (starting in the center of the bowl working toward the outside of the bowl) until all the flour is incorporated. The dough should be soft but not too wet and sticky. When it all comes together, in a matter of seconds, turn it out onto a well-floured surface. Clean dough off your hand.
  3. Pat and roll the dough gently with floury hands, just enough to tidy it up and give it a round shape. Flip over and flatten slightly to about 2 inches. Transfer the loaf to the prepared baking sheet. Mark with a deep cross using a serrated knife and prick each of the four quadrants.
  4. Bake the bread for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees and continue to bake until the loaf is brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped, 30 to 35 minutes more. Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let cool for about 30 minutes.
Notes
* Substitutions for buttermilk:
half yogurt (any kind)/half milk (dairy or non-dairy)
2⅛ cups milk (any kind) + 2 Tablespoons white vinegar, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, then allow to sit at room temp for 10 minutes
kefir (one-to-one measurement)
Recipe by Pamela Salzman at https://pamelasalzman.com/whole-wheat-irish-soda-bread-recipe/