Traditional Irish Soda Bread is so easy that you shouldn't need a bread machine. If I were using a machine, I would only use it on the Bake cycle and mix all the ingredients by hand first. Or, be sure that the ingredients are mixed quickly and then immediately baked. That's because as soon as the baking soda meets the buttermilk (we don't use yeast), the action begins. At high elevation, I use baking soda & baking powder, as the b.soda poops out before its time - at which point the baking powder takes over to finish the rise. You might want to try that too. (Even so, my "Pie in the Sky" book says at Sea Level to use 1 tablespoon of BP and 1 teas of BS. Less BS at higher elevations. This is with 4 cups of flour. This book also used 1 egg, which again is not trad.) Also, be sure to use lots of Kerrygold butter both in the mix (I used 5 to 6 tablespoons), and when eating! Otherwise you are defeating the whole purpose imo...!) Also, I used 1/2 cup of Soft Silk flour instead of all bread flour; Irish flour is very soft and that seemed to help. I think KAF now has Irish-style bread flour - but now I'm eating gluten free...

• Reply