Irish soda sourdough bread with raisins and nuts

 Irish Soda Bread is a 'quick bread' that does not use yeast. Instead of yeast, baking soda in combination with an acidic ingredient, such as buttermilk, is used to make the bread rise. Instead of buttermilk, sourdough is used in this bread. Before baking, it is cut in the shape of a cross. There are a few theories as to the why of this cross. One says it is to chase away evil, the other says it has a much simpler reason, which is to cut it up better when it is baked. Who knows may say.

The dough does not need to be kneaded, it may not even really be kneaded. If you knead the dough too much, the bread will become tough. It is a matter of briefly mixing in a bowl and then forming into a ball on the counter. A machine is not involved. You have to like it a bit more dressed up, it is a somewhat disjointed sticky dough.

Irish soda sourdough bread with raisins and nuts

340 grams of pastry flour (low protein, 10% or less)

1 teaspoon of baking soda / sodium bicarbonate

2.5 grams of salt

120 grams of raisins

50 grams of walnuts or pecans, in small pieces

grated zest of 1 orange

240 grams of active wheat semolina, 100% hydration

125 grams of water

60 grams of honey

55 grams of melted butter

Preheat the oven to 200 C.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Add the raisins, nuts and orange zest and mix.

In a separate bowl, stir together the sourdough, water, honey and butter.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix briefly with a spatula. Pour the mixture onto a lightly floured counter and quickly knead the dough into a ball.

Place the dough ball on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and press a little flatter. Cut a cross in the dough about 1 cm deep with a fencing knife.

Bake the bread in the middle of the oven for 30 - 35 minutes until golden brown and done. Let cool on a wire rack.