Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread

Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread is a beautiful way to celebrate Irish heritage and the Celtic myths that have shaped so much of modern witchcraft. And it's easy and delicious. It's gonna be awesome.

St. Patrick's Day doesn't have the best reputation amongst neopagans, as those snakes that were driven out are often seen to be pagans who were persecuted by St. Patrick. However, in modern culture, especially in America, days like this are much more of a cultural celebration than a religious one. And modern witches certainly owe much to the legends and myth of ancient Irish pagan tradition.

As a kitchen witch who loves simple cooking, Irish food can be deeply comforting. It's simple food for simple people who often had very little and lived off what nature provided. But we often overlook those simple flavors with our modern access to everything ever. As modern witches, we can combine traditional and current techniques to evoke the flavors and the spirit of another culture. That's gotta be magic.

What makes this Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread so awesome?

Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread isn't exactly ancient. In fact, it was first made in Ireland in the Victorian era after sodium bicarbonate became widely available to home bakers. No more waiting for bread to rise. The magic of chemistry created a much simpler way to prepare a loaf at the end of a hard day's work.

This particular loaf is made with a mix of white and whole wheat flour keeping it light but also giving it a bit of added texture and a deeper flavor. I love the contrast between the soft, pillowy inside and the knobbly, crunchy crust. This is great for dipping into your favorite soup or stew, but I also love it warm with salted butter and honey.

Magical Properties of Wheat

As a staple food, wheat shows up in mythology and magical practices across many cultures. Because these grains sustained life in budding civilizations, much of their cosmology revolved around the growing, harvesting, preserving, and milling of wheat. In fact, millers were often seen to be magical practitioners, transforming wheat into flour that could then be made into bread.

Deities associated with wheat include the Celtic god Lugh for whom the sabbat Lughnasadh is named, Demeter, Mercury, and Osiris.Wheat carries the energy of earth and is corresponded to the planet Venus. Use it to call in abundance, fertility, and rebirth. (Source: Learn Religions)

Ingredients

Here's everything you'll need to make this recipe. All the details are in the recipe card below.

• All-purpose or plain white flour
• Whole wheat pastry flour or plain wholemeal flour - You don't need bread flour or strong flour for this recipe.
• Baking soda - aka bicarbonate of soda
• Salt
• Buttermilk

Tips for making Whole Wheat Soda Bread

This is a simple five ingredient recipe that can be made in a flash. Start by mixing together all your dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add in the buttermilk and use a wooden spoon or a spatula to stir it into a rough dough. Then tip it out onto a lightly floured surface and use your hands to bring it all together. We're squishing and pressing here, not kneading. You just want everything to hold together.

Shape your dough into a round loaf, then transfer it to a lined baking sheet. Dust it with white flour over the top, then use a sharp knife to cut a big crisscross fairly deep into the dough. This will help the loaf cook more evenly as heat can reach the center more quickly.

If you have time, set the loaf aside for 30 minutes while you preheat your oven. If it's a busy night, it can go straight into the oven once it's hot. It'll bake for about 30 minutes and will be golden brown and crusty on the outside. You can let it cool completely, but this is so awesome eaten warm with salted butter.

Keep Irish heritage alive, and don't forget those pagans. They were pretty awesome. And so is this Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread.

Looking for more awesome bread recipes? Try this Garlic & Herb Focaccia Bread or some simple Buttermilk Soda Bread.

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Recipe slightly adapted from Paul Hollywood's Bread.