Griddle-Baked Brown Soda Farls
Elevenses and Afternoon Tea: The Baking Tradition
A proper Ulster loaf isn't an all-day project. The soda farl is the ultimate working-class weeknight bread, a shaggy dough bound with supermarket buttermilk, slapped onto a dry, hot cast-iron skillet, and ready to eat in fifteen minutes flat. To get that real, coarse, nutty homeland crumb using standard American flour, we cut whole wheat with all-purpose and toss in some bran and germ, searing the dough until the crust blisters. Split it across the equator while the crumb still steams, and lay on the salted butter.
Ingredients
- unbleached all purpose flour1 cup
- whole wheat flour3/4 cup
- wheat bran1/4 cup
- wheat germ1/4 cup
- baking soda1 tsp
- fine sea salt1/2 tsp
- whole milk buttermilk1 cup
- all purpose flour2 tbsp
Method
- 01
Preheat a heavy cast-iron skillet or griddle dry over medium-low heat.
Do not add any oil or butter. Authentic farls need a dry, lightly floured surface to develop their signature matte, golden crust.
- 02
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a wide mixing bowl and form a well in the center.
Combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, wheat bran, wheat germ, baking soda, and salt, ensuring the baking soda is evenly distributed so you don't end up with soapy pockets in the baked bread.
- 03
Pour the cold buttermilk into the well and mix rapidly using the claw method.
Shape your dominant hand into a stiff claw and stir in a continuous circular motion from the center outward. Stop the second it forms a shaggy, sticky mass; do not knead it, or you'll activate the gluten and the bread will be tough.
- 04
Turn the dough out onto a generously floured surface and pat it into a disc.
Flour your hands and gently press the dough into an 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Leave the rolling pin in the drawer.
- 05
Quarter the dough into four equal triangular wedges with a floured knife and prick the center of each.
This traditional shape is the farl. Pricking the dough lets the heat penetrate the dense center—and according to the grandmothers, lets the fairies out so they don't jinx your bake.
- 06
Dust the hot skillet lightly with flour and cook the farls low and slow.
Transfer the wedges to the dry pan. Let them cook undisturbed for 8 to 10 minutes until the bottoms are deeply golden and the dough has puffed slightly.
- 07
Flip the farls and cook the other side until firm and hollow-sounding.
Give them another 8 to 10 minutes on the second side. A tapped crust should sound faintly hollow, and the edges should spring back when pressed.
- 08
Wrap the hot farls in a clean tea towel to soften slightly before serving.
The trapped steam takes the hard edge off the crust. Split them horizontally while they are still steaming hot and slather unapologetically with salted Irish butter.
Notes
The Flour Blend
American whole wheat flour is milled from hard wheat and is too high in protein, which makes dense, tough bread. Cutting it with all-purpose flour and adding wheat bran and germ perfectly replicates the coarse, low-gluten soft wheat of Ireland.
The Buttermilk Hack
If you can't find real whole milk buttermilk, pour 1 cup of whole milk, remove 1 tablespoon, and replace it with 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes to clabber before using.
From Cook Irish-American Food.