Irish Soda Bread in the Air Fryer
Classic Irish soda bread with raisins – known in Ireland as spotted dog – with a crisp crust and a soft, moist crumb. The bread rises with bicarbonate of soda and buttermilk instead of yeast, so the dough is mixed together in just a few minutes and baked straight away in the air fryer.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Kitchen scale
- 1 Measuring cup
- 1 Measuring spoons
- 1 Large bowl
- 1 Sifter
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Parchment paper (for air fryer)
- 1 Sharp knife
- 1 Kitchen towel Clean
- 1 Cooling rack
Ingredients
400 g plain flour Plus a little extra for the work surface
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda Level
1 tsp salt Fine
100 g raisins
3 dl buttermilk
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the air fryer to 170 °C fan. The dough has to be baked as soon as it is mixed, so the air fryer must be hot before you get started.
- Sift 400 g plain flour, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda and 1 tsp salt into a large bowl, and stir so the bicarbonate of soda is evenly distributed through the flour.
- Mix 100 g raisins into the flour so they are coated in flour and do not clump together in the dough.
- Make a well in the centre of the flour and add 3 dl buttermilk all at once.
- Stir quickly with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together. It should be soft and slightly sticky, and it must not be stirred any more than is absolutely necessary.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead it very briefly – simply fold it over 4-5 times, until it just holds together. Knead it any longer and the bread turns dense and tough.
- Shape the dough into a round loaf about 16 cm in diameter and 4-5 cm high, and place it on a piece of baking paper that fits the bottom of the air fryer basket. There should be a couple of centimetres of space between the loaf and the sides of the basket.
- Cut a deep cross in the top with a sharp, floured knife – about 2 cm into the dough and all the way out to the edge, so the heat can reach the centre of the loaf.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Place the loaf in the preheated air fryer basket straight away, lifting it in by the baking paper. The dough must not be left waiting, because the bicarbonate of soda starts working as soon as it meets the buttermilk.
- Bake the loaf at 170 °C for 20 minutes, until the top is golden and the crust has set.
- Carefully turn the loaf over so the bottom faces upwards, and remove the baking paper. Hold the loaf with a clean tea towel, because it is very hot.
- Continue baking at 170 °C for 10 minutes, until the bottom is golden and the loaf sounds hollow when you tap it lightly. If it sounds dull, give it another 3-5 minutes.
Serving
- Leave the loaf to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes, so the crumb has time to set before the bread is sliced.
- Break the loaf into four pieces along the cross, or cut it into thick slices, and serve it warm.
Notes
Tips for the perfect result:
Work quickly and with a light hand, and have the air fryer hot before the buttermilk goes into the flour. Cut the cross deeply – it helps the heat reach the centre, so the thick loaf bakes through. If the dough is too wet to shape, sprinkle on a little extra flour; if it is dry and crumbly, add another tablespoon of buttermilk. If the top darkens quickly in your air fryer, turn it down to 160 °C and give the loaf a few extra minutes. Why the bread rises without yeast:
The acid in the buttermilk makes the bicarbonate of soda create air pockets in the dough as soon as the two meet. That is why the dough must neither rest nor be kneaded thoroughly – it should simply be brought together and baked straight away, otherwise the air escapes again. Variation:
Leave out the raisins if you want a classic soda bread for soup and sandwiches, or swap them for dried cranberries or chopped apricots. You can replace 100 g of the plain flour with wholemeal flour for a coarser loaf, and a tablespoon of sugar in the flour gives a sweeter version. If you do not have buttermilk, you can stir 3 dl milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice and leave it to stand for 5 minutes – the acid is necessary for the bicarbonate of soda to make the bread rise. Serving:
Eat the bread warm on the same day with cold butter and, if you like, jam or a slice of cheese. The day after, it is best toasted. If you want a softer crust, wrap the warm bread in a clean tea towel while it cools. Portion size:
Break the bread into four pieces along the cross – one per portion – or cut it into about 8 thick slices. If your air fryer is smaller, you can make two small loaves in two batches: divide the dry ingredients between two bowls, and do not add the buttermilk to the second portion until the first loaf is baked. Small loaves need about 5 minutes less baking time.
Work quickly and with a light hand, and have the air fryer hot before the buttermilk goes into the flour. Cut the cross deeply – it helps the heat reach the centre, so the thick loaf bakes through. If the dough is too wet to shape, sprinkle on a little extra flour; if it is dry and crumbly, add another tablespoon of buttermilk. If the top darkens quickly in your air fryer, turn it down to 160 °C and give the loaf a few extra minutes. Why the bread rises without yeast:
The acid in the buttermilk makes the bicarbonate of soda create air pockets in the dough as soon as the two meet. That is why the dough must neither rest nor be kneaded thoroughly – it should simply be brought together and baked straight away, otherwise the air escapes again. Variation:
Leave out the raisins if you want a classic soda bread for soup and sandwiches, or swap them for dried cranberries or chopped apricots. You can replace 100 g of the plain flour with wholemeal flour for a coarser loaf, and a tablespoon of sugar in the flour gives a sweeter version. If you do not have buttermilk, you can stir 3 dl milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice and leave it to stand for 5 minutes – the acid is necessary for the bicarbonate of soda to make the bread rise. Serving:
Eat the bread warm on the same day with cold butter and, if you like, jam or a slice of cheese. The day after, it is best toasted. If you want a softer crust, wrap the warm bread in a clean tea towel while it cools. Portion size:
Break the bread into four pieces along the cross – one per portion – or cut it into about 8 thick slices. If your air fryer is smaller, you can make two small loaves in two batches: divide the dry ingredients between two bowls, and do not add the buttermilk to the second portion until the first loaf is baked. Small loaves need about 5 minutes less baking time.
Nutrition
Calories: 450kcalCarbohydrates: 93gProtein: 14gFat: 2gSaturated fat: 0.5gPolyunsaturated fat: 0.6gMonounsaturated fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 950mgPotassium: 434mgFiber: 4.5gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 12IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 114mgIron: 1.5mgNet carbohydrates: 88.5g
