Easy White Soda Bread

Easy White Soda Bread is a fantastic, easy-to-make, no-knead bread using only four ingredients. It's ideal for one or two people. I sometimes add raisins to make it a breakfast bread. This does not keep well but, then again, it's not a large loaf either. If you don't eat it the first day, toast it the second day. Yummy!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk*

Instructions

1. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 450 degrees F.
2. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until they are well combined.
3. Form a well in the center of the flour mixture and fill the well with the buttermilk.
4. Use a fork to incorporate the flour into the buttermilk little by little until a thick batter forms. Use your hands to incorporate the final bits of flour and gently shape the batter into a dough. Do not overwork the dough.
5. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and gently shape it into a round 6 inches in diameter and about 1 1/2 inches thick.
6. Place the dough in a cast iron skillet. Use a sharp knife to cut a large deep x into the top of the dough. This helps the bread cook through to the center.
7. Bake for 10 minutes.
8. Lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and continue baking until the bread is golden brown and crusty on the outside, about 20 minutes.
9. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Notes

* If you don’t have buttermilk, mix 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar (any vinegar will do). You can also use citrus juice.

Feel free to add raisins to make it an ideal breakfast bread!

Attribution

Photo credit: naotoj on VisualHunt