Mary Berry Soda Bread Recipe

Mary Berry’s soda bread recipe is a family favourite that has been passed down through generations of home bakers. This bread is ideal for anyone who wants to try their hand at baking but doesn’t want to worry about complicated recipes due to its simple ingredients and simple instructions.

One of the reasons Mary Berry’s soda bread recipe is so popular is that it uses bicarbonate of baking soda instead of yeast. This eliminates the need for a longer rise time, making this bread a quick and easy option for those who want fresh bread immediately.

Mary Berry’s soda bread is a classic recipe that will become a favourite in your household. Its simple ingredients and easy preparation make it a great option for novice bakers, while its delicious flavour and satisfying texture ensure that all enjoy it.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white whole-wheat flour
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter cold
• 2 tbsp butter melted
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 4 tbsp of honey
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 egg

TOOLS

• Knife
• Skillet
• Measuring cup
• Large mixing bowl
• Medium size bowl
• Parchment paper
• Measuring spoons
• A wooden spoon for stir

How to Make Mary Berry Soda Bread

Step 1: Cutting the unsalted butter

First, we’ll cut up four tablespoons of cold unsalted butter and dice it into tiny pieces before putting it back in the fridge until we need it.

Step 2: Take a bowl and add the ingredients

Add two and a half cups of all-purpose flour, one cup of white whole wheat flour, one teaspoon of baking soda, and one teaspoon of salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix all the ingredients well.

Step 3: Mix the ingredients added so far

Add everything together and whisk until completely combined, making sure the leavening agents are evenly distributed.

Step 4: Add buttermilk, egg, and honey in a different bowl

Now, in a separate bowl, whisk together one and a half cups of buttermilk, one large egg, and our sweetener, which will be 4 tbsp of honey, until completely combined.

Step 5: Use a pastry cutter

We’ll go back to our dry mixture. Remove the cold diced butter from the refrigerator and incorporate it into the flour mixture with your hands. Coat the individual pieces of butter in the flour mixture before cutting them into the mixture with a pastry cutter.

Step 6: Add buttermilk and raisins 

Pour in our buttermilk egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon. Add one cup of raisins and continue stirring until it resembles a small ball of very wet-looking dough. Set this aside for a moment.

Step 7: lightly coat the skillet with butter

Grab a 10-inch cast iron skillet, cut out a piece of circular parchment paper and lightly coat it with butter and then set this aside.

Step 8: Make a dough

We’ll heavily flour a clean surface with all-purpose flour and then pour out all of our enriched dough onto it. Because your dough will be very wet, we’ll use our hands to coat this ball of dough.

Step 9: Make the dough into a ball shape

Once you’ve done that, flip it completely over and begin shaping it into that ball shape. Once your dough is in a ball shape, transfer this dough over to the cast iron skillet.

Note: It’s time to rest and react together; it’s not going to double in size or anything, but it will swell up slightly, so let this rest for 15 minutes.

Step 10: Cut the dough into an X shape

Once our dough has rested, we’ll use a serrated knife to cut that traditional X into the ball-shaped dough. Make sure to cut deep enough so the X shape is visible after baking.

Step 11: Time to bake

This dough needs to be baked at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Once your bread is a delicious golden brown color you can ensure it has done baking.

Note: When you take the bread out and knock it with your fingers, you will hear a hollow sound indicating that it is perfectly done baking.

Step 12: Brush the bread with melted butter before serving

While the bread is still warm, brush it with two tablespoons of melted butter. Allow this bread to cool completely before you serve this Mary Berry Soda Bread.

Tips and Tricks 

• If you want to store it, wrap the cooled Irish soda bread in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container. You can keep it at room temperature for up to four days.

• Buttermilk reacts with baking soda to provide leavening for the bread. It also adds a lot of flavors.

• You can serve this with vegetable soup or garlic beef stew etc.

FAQs

Why is my soda bread tough?

It’s difficult to make the right recommendation, but too much kneading will result in a bread with a hard, dense crumb. The less kneading you do with no yeast bread, the softer the crumb. 

Why is my soda bread soggy in the middle?

Most of the time, this happens when the dough does not rise properly and fills out with gas, leaving the inside of the loaf soggy and dense. As a result, you should allow plenty of time for your dough to rise.

How do you keep the crust of soda bread soft?

When making no-yeast bread, we recommend that the less kneading you do, the softer the crumb. Make slices out of the bread. This is an important step in ensuring that the center is cooked and that the soda bread crust remains soft.

How do you know when soda bread is done?

The best way to tell if the soda bread is done is to tap the bottom of the bread; if it is done, it should sound hollow.

Conclusion

In the end, the Mary Berry soda bread recipe is a quick and simple way to make homemade bread without using yeast.

So, if you don’t want to wait a long time for the flour to rise and make a piece of delicious bread, this is the recipe for you, and you can eat it right away when it’s done baking with a little chilling time given.

Overall, Mary Berry’s soda bread recipe is an excellent choice for anyone looking to make homemade bread without the time and effort required for traditional yeast bread.