Description
Skillet Irish Soda Bread Minis are delightful small, quick-bread rolls made with buttermilk, fennel and caraway seeds, and baked to a golden perfection in a cast iron skillet. These mini loaves have a tender crumb and a buttery crust, perfect for serving warm with additional butter.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 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
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Skillet: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet thoroughly with 1 tablespoon of the butter to prevent sticking and add flavor.
- Mix Dry Ingredients and Add Buttermilk: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, kosher salt, baking soda, and crushed fennel and caraway seeds. Make a shallow well in the center and pour in 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk. Stir gently with a wooden spoon, incorporating the flour into the buttermilk until a dough begins to form. Add more buttermilk a tablespoon at a time if needed until dough comes together, but avoid overworking it.
- Form Dough Balls: Turn the dough onto a clean surface; it will be craggy, stringy, and slightly sticky. Wet your hands with water, gather the dough, and knead it quickly into a flattened disk. Divide this disk into 5 or 6 roughly equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball.
- Arrange and Bake Initial: Place the dough balls in the buttered cast iron skillet without packing them tightly. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, allowing the tops to start browning.
- Butter and Finish Baking: While baking, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small pot. At the 15-minute mark, remove the skillet from the oven and brush the top of each dough ball with the melted butter to enhance browning and flavor. Return the skillet to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the mini loaves are golden with browned peaks.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the skillet from the oven and let the bread mini loaves rest until cool enough to handle. Split open each loaf and slather the insides with more butter before serving. Enjoy the warm baked bread aroma and flavor.
Notes
- Use cold butter for melting to brush on the rolls for best results.
- Do not overwork the dough to keep the bread tender and light.
- If buttermilk is unavailable, make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
- Crushing the fennel and caraway seeds fresh will release more aroma and flavor.
- Ensure the cast iron skillet is well-buttered to prevent sticking and to add a delicious crust.
- You can store leftover bread minis wrapped in a towel or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini loaf
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
