Spotted Dog Recipe | Cook the Book (2024)

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Caroline Russock

Spotted Dog Recipe | Cook the Book (1)

Caroline Russock

Caroline Russock is a writer who splits her time between Philadelphia and the Caribbean covering food, travel, leisure, lifestyle, and culture. Her writing is featured in PhillyVoice, Eater, Eater Philly, Serious Eats, and The Tasting Table.

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Updated March 03, 2020

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Spotted Dog Recipe | Cook the Book (2)

"No matter where the name comes from, this is an old-fashioned recipe that stands the test of time."

For our final recipe from Forgotten Skills of Cooking by Darina Allen I couldn't resist sharing this riff on an Irish Soda bread known as Spotted Dog. Allen explains that in a time when Ireland was more agrarian this was a snack typically made by farmer's wives and transported to the fields wrapped in a tea towel and served whiskey-filled with hot sweetened tea.

As far as I can tell the whimsical name for this bread either refers to the spotting of raisins on the bread's surface or it's a derivative of spotted dick, a steamed pudding dotted with currants.

No matter where the name comes from, this is an old-fashioned recipe that stands the test of time. What sets this bread apart from a standard soda bread? An egg and a little sugar, which makes for a darker, crisper crust.

Allen suggest serving this bread with some good cheddar and that's exactly what I did. The slight sweetness was the ideal counterpoint to a sharp and tangy cheese. But butter and jam would work just as well, and I also suspect that this recipe would make some wonderful mini spotted pups for breakfast.

Recipe Details

Spotted Dog Recipe | Cook the Book

Prep15 mins

Cook40 mins

Total55 mins

Serves10to 12 servings

Makes1 loaf

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, preferably unbleached

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 teaspoons sugar

  • 2/3 cupgolden or seedless raisins (or more if you'd like)

  • 1 organic egg

  • 1 2/3 cups buttermilk

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

  2. In a mixing bowl, sift the flour and baking soda; then add the salt, sugar, and raisins. Mix well by lifting the flour and fruit up in to your hands and then letting them fall back into the bowl through your fingers. This adds more air and therefore more lightness to your finished bread. Now make a well in the center of the flour mixture.

  3. Break the egg into the base of a measuring glass and add the buttermilk to the 1 1/2 cups line (the egg is part of the liquid measurement) and mix together.

  4. Pour most of this milk and egg mixture into the flour. Using one hand with the fingers open and stiff, mix in a full circle drawing in the flour mixture from the sides of the bowl, adding more milk if necessary. The dough should be softish, but not too wet and sticky.

  5. The trick with Spotted Dog, like all soda breads, is not to overmix the dough. Mix it as quickly and gently as possible, thus keeping it light and airy. When the dough all comes together, turn it out onto a well-floured work surface.

  6. Wash and dry your hands. With floured fingers, roll the dough lightly for a few seconds - just enough to tidy it up. Then pat the dough into a round about 2in thick. Transfer to a baking sheet dusted lightly with flour. Use a sharp knife to cut a deep cross on it, letting the cuts go over the sides of the bread. Prick with a knife in the four triangles.

  7. Put into the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 400°F. Cook for 35-40 minutes. If you are in doubt about the bread being cooked, tap the bottom: if it is cooked it will sound hollow.

  8. This bread is cooked at a lower temperature than soda bread because the egg browns faster at a higher heat. Serve freshly baked, cut into thick slices and smeared with butter and jam. Spotted Dog is also really good eaten with Cheddar cheese.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
181Calories
1g Fat
37g Carbs
6g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10to 12
Amount per serving
Calories181
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g1%
Saturated Fat 0g2%
Cholesterol 17mg6%
Sodium 354mg15%
Total Carbohydrate 37g13%
Dietary Fiber 1g5%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 1mg3%
Calcium 52mg4%
Iron 2mg11%
Potassium 161mg3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Spotted Dog Recipe | Cook the Book (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between Irish soda bread and Irish brown bread? ›

If you really want to get technical, brown bread is a form of soda bread since it uses baking soda as the leavening agent. However, the two loaves differ pretty significantly from there. Irish brown bread has a deep, nutty flavor because of its wheat flour and wheat bran while soda bread uses only white flour.

What is a substitute for Irish-style flour in soda bread? ›

Tips from our Bakers. Our Irish-style flour will result in a soda bread with superior flavor and texture. Substituting premium whole wheat or white whole wheat flour is fine, but you'll want to reduce the amount of whole wheat to 2 1/4 cups and substitute the bread flour with all-purpose flour.

How to eat Irish brown bread? ›

Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Serve with sweet butter and a dollop of marmalade, if desired. Store, well-wrapped, for a couple of days at room temperature; freeze for longer storage.

What is Irish-style flour? ›

What is Irish-style flour? Our Irish-style flour, also known as Irish wholemeal, is a US-grown, bran-flecked, soft whole wheat flour, perfect for traditional Irish baked goods (and much, much more). Similar to whole wheat pastry flour, Irish wholemeal contains all of the bran, endosperm, and germ of the wheat berry.

Why does Irish soda bread not need yeast? ›

The Irishmen learned to adapt to this climate by growing soft wheat that is lower in gluten. The type of flour from this wheat is not compatible with the yeast to make the dough rise; thus, they use baking soda instead to make the famed Irish Soda Bread.

Is Irish soda bread better warm or cold? ›

Although soda bread is ideal for serving at room temperature, it is better to serve it warm. The thick and cakey texture of the bread and warm temperature brings out its hearty flavors. If you can't have it fresh from the over at least have it toasted.

Why is my Irish soda bread so dense? ›

It's called Irish Soda Bread because it's made with baking soda instead of yeast. Because of this, it's more dense than your everyday white sandwich bread.

Why is my Irish soda bread dry? ›

It's important to remember no to overmix your ingredients. Irish Soda Bread is a dense bread, similar to a scone, but can easily become dry if overmixed. Quickly add the wet ingredients to a well you've made in the dry ingredients, and mix with your hands or a dough hook until it just comes together.

What is traditionally served with Irish soda bread? ›

The thick and hearty nature of Irish soda bread helps it pair very well with meaty stews (especially Irish stew). You can use it to soak up the juices as you eat or as a vehicle for the meat and vegetables. Traditionally, Irish soda bread is served with a slow-simmered beef and barley stew.

What is a full Irish breakfast? ›

A traditional full Irish breakfast comprises bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes, beans, soda bread or toast, tomatoes, mushrooms, and white or black pudding. For those wondering, black pudding coagulates the pig's blood into a sausage form. The white pudding is simply a pork sausage, usually flat.

Should you toast Irish soda bread? ›

Many people enjoy Irish soda bread with a generous spread of butter, which melts into the warm bread, making it even more delicious. However, you can also enjoy Irish soda bread at room temperature or even toasted. It can be sliced and toasted for breakfast or served alongside soups and stews.

How many slices of brown bread can I eat a day? ›

1) Can I Eat Brown Bread Every day? Yes, you can eat brown bread every day, just don't overdo it. You can eat 4-4.5 slices of brown bread without worrying about your health.

What is butterfly flour? ›

Butterfly pea powder is made from the butterfly pea plant, a beautiful flowering vine native to Thailand, Burma and other parts of Southeast Asia. It's bright indigo flowers have been used for centuries to dye foods various shades of blue.

What is a Dinkel flour? ›

Also known as farro or dinkel, it is a sub-species of wheat. Spelt has a lovely, nutty flavour not dissimilar to barley. It has gained popularity in recent times, thanks to its high levels of fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals and the fact that it is both easy to digest and low in gluten.

What is cupcake flour? ›

Cake flour, as the name suggests, is often called for in cakes. It's a soft wheat, low-protein flour with a fine texture, milled from the endosperm of the wheat kernel. It is lighter and has very little gluten, making for tender and less dense baked items.

What makes Irish Soda Bread special? ›

Irish Soda Bread is a quick bread that does not require any yeast. Instead, all of its leavening comes from baking soda and buttermilk. This Irish soda bread recipe is my grandmother's and has been cherished in my family for years. It's dense, yet soft and has the most incredible crusty exterior.

What is another name for Irish Soda Bread? ›

In Ulster, the wholemeal variety is usually known as wheaten bread and is normally sweetened, while the term "soda bread" is restricted to the white savoury form. In the southern provinces of Ireland, the wholemeal variety is usually known as brown bread and is almost identical to the Ulster wheaten.

Is brown soda bread better than white bread? ›

Most people believe brown bread, otherwise known as wholemeal or whole-wheat bread, is better for our health than white. And according to most nutritionists, you'd be correct. Wholegrain products contain more fibre and nutrients than their white counterparts.

What does Irish brown soda bread taste like? ›

Irish soda bread is a dense and tender quick bread with a subtle tangy buttermilk flavor. Some people think it tastes like beer bread, but I think it tastes more like a scone or a biscuit. It tastes fantastic on its own, slathered with a little butter and jam, or “fancied up” with additional ingredients.

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