Here’s a classic Irish recipe for brown soda bread, lovingly passed down through generations by renowned television chef and food writer Catherine Fulvio. Catherine, a Daytime Emmy nominee and friend of CIE Tours, invites guests to her award-winning Ballyknocken Cookery School, nestled in the heart of County Wicklow. 

An authentic, hands-on culinary experience at Ballyknocken is a highlight of our Irish Supreme tour - guests learn to bake traditional scones in a charming, historic setting.

INGREDIENTS 

This recipe makes one loaf

- ½ pound (225g / 2 cups) plain white flour

- ½ pound (225g / 2 cups) stone ground whole-meal flour

- Pinch salt

- 1 level teaspoon of bread soda (baking soda)

- 1 dessertspoon oil (a non-scented oil i.e. no olive oil) or butter

- Almost ½ pint (10 fl oz / 275-300ml) sour milk (or buttermilk)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

- Preheat oven to 425F (Gas mark 7/ 210-220C)

- Oil or butter a loaf tin

- Mix dry ingredients well making sure to get air into the flour. Be sure to sieve the bread soda as any lumps will result in green bread, rather than brown bread! Add oil and most of the milk and mix. The texture should that of “medium thick oatmeal”. When lifted up on a wooden spoon, it should plop off – if it doesn’t fall off the spoon, add more milk. If it runs off the spoon, add more flour!

- Put the loaf in your buttered loaf tin. 

- Place in the center of a preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes approximately. It should be easily removable from the loaf tin and should sound hollow when tapped underneath. This means that it is cooked to perfection. 

- Allow to cool and then eat with some smoked Irish salmon, or some local cheese or simply with homemade jam.

Thank you to Catherine and the team at Ballyknocken Cookery School.