Description
This Skillet Irish Soda Bread Minis recipe offers a charming twist on traditional soda bread, creating small, buttery, and golden rolls infused with fennel and caraway seeds. Perfect for sharing at breakfast or alongside dinner, these quick bread minis bake in a cast iron skillet, yielding a delightful crispy crust and soft interior.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons crushed fennel and caraway seeds
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons butter (divided)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Skillet: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of the butter to prevent sticking and add flavor.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, kosher salt, baking soda, and crushed fennel and caraway seeds. Stir well to distribute the ingredients evenly.
- Add Buttermilk and Form Dough: Make a shallow well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk. Stir gently with a wooden spoon, incorporating the flour from the edges towards the center until a dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add additional buttermilk one tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together. Avoid overworking it to maintain a tender crumb.
- Knead and Shape Dough Balls: Turn the dough onto a clean surface. The dough will be craggly, stringy, and slightly sticky. Wet your hands with water and gently knead the dough into a flattened disk. Divide the dough into 5 or 6 equal portions and shape each into a round ball.
- Arrange in Skillet and Bake: Place the dough balls in the prepared cast iron skillet, arranging them evenly without packing them too tightly. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until the tops begin to brown.
- Brush with Butter and Continue Baking: While baking, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan. At the 15-minute mark, remove the skillet from the oven and brush the tops of the rolls generously with the melted butter. Return the skillet to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown with nicely browned peeks.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the skillet from the oven and let the soda bread minis rest until they are cool enough to handle. Serve warm by splitting the minis open and slathering with extra butter for the best flavor and texture. Enjoy the comforting aroma and taste of freshly baked soda bread rolls.
Notes
- Use cold buttermilk straight from the fridge for best dough consistency.
- Don't over-mix or knead the dough excessively to keep the bread light and tender.
- If you don't have fennel seeds, you can increase the amount of caraway seeds or substitute with anise seeds for a similar flavor.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute butter with a plant-based margarine and use a vegan buttermilk alternative (such as almond milk with vinegar).
- Ensure the skillet is well-buttered to prevent the dough from sticking and to create a crispy crust.
- Serve the bread minis warm for the best texture and taste; leftovers can be reheated gently in the oven.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 200 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
