Q&A for How to Serve Irish Soda Bread

Yes, it's possible! The key here is using the right binder since traditional gluten isn’t there to hold everything together. Psyllium husk works well, but you have to be careful—too much of it can make the bread dense and tough. Stick with psyllium husk, but you have to use just the right amount to avoid that heavy texture. If psyllium isn’t your thing, there are other options to explore, like chia seeds or flax meal, which also act as binders. For your flour base, consider a mix of millet flour, tapioca starch, and maybe a bit of sorghum for flavor. Irish soda bread traditionally doesn’t rely on yeast, so baking soda or baking powder should do the trick to get a bit of rise. And here’s a bit of a pro tip; with gluten-free dough, it’s all about minimal mixing—overmixing can make it gummy or dense. So remember to keep it light, shape it gently, and then you’ll get a great crumb without the gluten!

Any kind of jam is good on Irish soda bread. However, citrus jams are the most popular.

10-15 minutes in a 300 degree oven is a good way to reheat any older loaf of bread. Buttering the top well before putting it in the over will help it to have a fresh-baked texture again.

You should bake your bread as close to the serving day as possible. If you're pressed for time, you can make it 2 days in advance, but make sure you keep it in an airtight container until you're ready to serve it.

You can drink anything you'd like! Warm drinks like tea, coffee, and hot apple cider are great for the winter time. Colder drinks like milk or lemonade can be refreshing when it's hot out.

Add in 2 cups (437 mL) of regular milk and 2 tablespoons (29 mL) of white vinegar. This should be close enough to buttermilk that your recipe turns out great!

There might be too much baking soda in it. If you make it again, be sure to measure out your dry ingredients carefully and see if that fixes the problem.