Everyone has their own version. This non-traditional version has chocolate chips and orange.
“May your troubles be less and your blessings be more and nothing but happiness come through your door”.
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day. Why not make an Irish Soda Bread today. It’s easy to make in one bowl!
This weekend I had my friends from Fairplay come down for an event that their kiddos were participating in. Have you heard of Destination Imagination? I didn’t but was so excited to learn all about it. It is a terrific program that inspires and equips students to become the next generation of innovators and leaders. DI is an educational program where student teams solve open-ended Challenges and present their solutions at tournaments. Fairplay had three teams participate. The kids won 4th, 2nd and even a First place finish! I couldn’t get over all the kids that they had participating, It was like 20 teams in each division! I’m not even a parent to these kids but was so impressed and proud of all their great accomplishments! I’m looking forward to the State finals!
This Irish Soda Bread was made for the kids. I knew that they were going to have a long day in Denver, so I made it for them for a snack to share with their friends. They always tell me that they love my cooking, so I am always more than excited to make something when they come to visit Auntie Heather. Heck what would I do with a whole loaf of Irish Soda Bread anyway? LOL!
The Irish Soda bread was a hit with the kids! I’m sure it will be a hit in your house too!
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups of either white of whole wheat flour
- 1/2 stick of butter melted
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/3 cup sugar plus a little more to sprinkle on top of bread
- Zest of one orange
- 1 bag chocolate chips
- 1 3/4 cup + 2 tbs buttermilk
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
- Prepare a cast iron skillet or a baking sheet. I used butter to grease a cast iron skillet. Or you can use a baking sheet lined with parchment and buttered.
- In a large mixing bowl, measure out flour and make a "well" in the middle of the flour. Place the melted butter, beaten egg, salt, sugar, baking soda and orange zest and combine well into the flour.
- Add chocolate chips to incorporate.
- Add the buttermilk. Stirring with a spoon until you need to get in with your hands and then kneed until all the flour is incorporated. It will start out sticky.
- On a clean work surface, spread out a little flour.
- Dump out bread mixture and kneed a little more until you can form a round loaf and all the flour is mixed in.
- I use a 10 inch cast iron skillet so my loaf was about 8 inches in diameter and about 3 inches thick. If you are using a baking pan, use the same diameters.
- Before baking melt a little more butter (about 2 tbs) and brush on top of bread and sprinkle with another tablespoon of sugar. Cut a large "+" sign in the middle of the bread.
- Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
Recently moved to Colorado and just made this recipe. Turned out perfectly and was delicious! Looking forward to making again and again!
I didn’t do diddly for St Patrick’s Day this year. No soda bread, no corned beef, not even a bowl of Lucky Charms. I’m such a bad food blogger, aren’t I?
We’ve hosted the Destination Imagination here in Knoxville for the past several years and we were quite surprised by the large crowds. Exceptional program and a great project for kids.
I was the same this year, but I made the bread for the kids! So no Irish food for me! LOL! One of the teams that my friends Kid is on went to Knoxville last year for the Global Championship! They had so much fun! I’m thoroughly with the program! If I had kids, I would only hope that they would be involved!
I’ve never even had traditional soda bread. What a great idea to take that for the event. I’m sure they appreciated that big time, what a treat and I bet they’ll love your cooking even more now.
Lea Ann- It’s kinda like a giant scone! Delicious! The kids loved it and I loved not having it in my house! 😉
I like the addition of chocolate chips in a soda bread, great idea! My son’s school participates in DI but I don’t know much about it yet. I’ve only heard positive things and your post is reminding me to learn more. Kids do SO much more at each grade level than when we were in school. really impressive!
Holly I was so impressed by DI that I am excited to go to more events! You should look into it! It is such a positive activity for kids now days!