Try this simple soda bread using ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen! Use any flour you have handy, be it all-purpose or bread flour from the store, one of our stone-ground varieties, or something you freshly milled yourself. Give it a shot with different kinds of milk, or use traditional buttermilk rather than the vinegar + dairy combo. You can also use a greased/lined baking dish instead of a Dutch oven.
The only thing we recommend you don't try to work around is the baking soda which should be relatively fresh, as in the box was opened within the last six months. Besides that, this is the easiest and most fool-proof bread you'll ever make!
Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. This dough is easily done by hand for less cleanup, but feel free to use a stand mixer.
Separately mix together vinegar and half-n-half, then add to dry ingredients.
Stir with a dough whisk as long as you like, and eventually form into a cohesive ball with your hand. Continue to knead the dough for about 5 minutes. This will eventually take some effort, you might need to use both hands and take it out of the bowl or move it to the counter for extra leverage!
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel (use hot water so it’s warm, at least to start), or turn the mixing bowl upside down over the dough ball on the counter, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400ºF with Dutch oven and lid inside.
Get a piece of parchment paper wet and scrunch it up into a ball. Squeeze out excess water, lay it flat, and set the now-rested dough ball on it. (Or simply set the dough on the bread sling—if you have one of these you already know what you’re about 😉) Score the top however you like, being sure to cut at least ½ inch deep.
Transfer to the hot Dutch oven, scatter a handful of ice cubes around the edge (outside of the parchment paper!), and quickly replace the lid to keep the steam inside.
Bake for 40 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and continue to bake for 5 minutes or until the top of the loaf is as crusty as you like.
Remove loaf from oven and place on a cooling rack. Try to wait at least 15 minutes before cutting into the loaf (this is the hardest instruction to follow because it will smell so good). Enjoy your warm bread or toast it later! Serve with salted butter alongside a hearty soup or stew, or in place of corn bread.
