Clover Soda Bread Recipe

This clover soda bread recipe can be made with the flowers of several different species of clover, including red clover (Trifolium pratense),

shield clover (Trifolium clypeatum),

and white clover (Trifolium repens.

You can use either fresh or dried clover flowers: either will add a lovely texture and a hint of color to the bread. Unlike yeast breads, this loaf will be ready to eat in less than an hour.

If you aren’t sure how to go about identifying true clovers (plants in the Trifolium genus), there’s info here.

Clover Blossom Soda Bread Recipe

Yield one round loaf.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a baking sheet, or line with parchment paper or a silpat mat.

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (pastry flour makes this bread more tender. If you can’t get whole wheat pastry flour, use a mix of half all-purpose and half whole wheat flours)
1/2 cup red clover blossom florets (stripped off of the tough bases/cores)
1 tsp. baking powder½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 tsp caraway or anise seeds (optional)
1 egg
2/3 cup buttermilk
¼ cup melted butter, plus one more tablespoon reserved for brushing on finished loaf
1 tbsp. honey

Whisk the dry ingredients (including the fresh or dried red clover blossom florets) together in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ones. Stir to incorporate the flour. Don’t stir too much though—it’s okay if there is still a little dry flour here and there, and for this dough lumpy is good. You want the dough to still be somewhat soft and sticky, but coherent enough that you can shape it into a loaf. If the dough seems too goopy, add more flour a little at a time. I sometimes need to add as much as 1/3 c. additional flour.

Scrape the dough out onto your baking sheet. Shape it into a disk approximately five to six inches in diameter. Some cracks on top are okay and actually make the finished loaf more attractive in a rustic way. Bake 25-35 minutes until golden. While still hot, brush with remaining tablespoon of butter. Let cool on a rack.

Recipe for Clover Blossom Spoonbread

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