Downeys Soda Bread Food

WHITE SODA BREAD

Steps:

• First fully preheat your oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Sift the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center. Pour all of the milk in at once. Using 1 hand, mix in the flour from the sides of the bowl, adding more milk if necessary. The dough should be softish, not too wet and sticky. When it all comes together, turn it out onto a well floured board.
• Wash and dry your hands.
• Knead lightly for a second, just enough to tidy it up, flip over. Pat the dough into a round about 12 inches (2.5 centimeters) and cut a cross on it to let the fairies out! Let the cuts go over the sides of the bread to make sure of this. Bake in a hot oven for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 30 minutes, or until cooked. If you are in doubt, tap the bottom of the bread: if it is cooked it will sound hollow.
• Soda bread only takes 2 or 3 minutes to make and 20 to 30 minutes to bake. It is certainly another of my 'great convertibles'. We have had the greatest fun experimenting with different variations and uses. It's also great with olives, sun-dried tomatoes or caramelized onions added, so the possibilities are endless for the hitherto humble soda bread.

DOWNEAST MAINE PUMPKIN BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
• In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.
• Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended.
• Pour into the prepared pans.
• Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven.
• Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Brush a baking sheet with melted butter or spray with non-stick spray.
• Combine dry ingredients in a deep bowl. Gradually stir in 1 cup buttermilk, beating constantly, until dough is firm enough to be gathered into a ball. If dough crumbles, add up to 1/2 cup more buttermilk, 1 tbsp at a time, until it holds together.
• Place on a lightly floured board and pat into an 8-inch flattened round loaf.
• Place loaf on baking sheet and slash a 1/2-inch deep "X" into the top of the dough with a small, sharp knife.
• Bake at 425 degrees F for about 45 minutes, or until the top is golden.
• Serve hot.

DOWNEY'S SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle.
• Blend flours, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and butter in a large bowl with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. 3Stir in buttermilk and eggs until a smooth dough forms. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and divide into 3 pieces. Form each piece into a 16-inch-long log and arrange, evenly spaced, on a lightly floured baking sheet. Generously sprinkle with flour and cut 3 diagonal shallow slashes on each log with a very sharp knife.
• Bake 30 minutes, then reduce oven to 375°F and continue to bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted into center of a loaf comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer loaves to a rack to cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

ANGIE'S IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease loaf pan and set aside.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda; stir in sugar and butter to combine. Add raisins, stirring to combine. Add eggs and buttermilk.
• Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour. Let cool and serve.

IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.
• Cut in butter until clumps are pea-sized.Stir in currants and yogurt.
• Turn the dough onto a floured cutting board, knead 1 minute, and shape into a round loaf;
• Slice an x in the top of a loaf and bake on a greased baking sheet for 45-50 minutes,yields one 8-inch loaf.

WEIRD IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Grease a 8 inch round cake pan.
• In a large bowl, at medium speed combine all ingredients until all ingredients until all dry ingredients are well moistened.
• DO NOT OVERBEAT.
• Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Place on center rack of oven and bake@ 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
• Bake@ 350 degrees for 15 more minutes.
• Bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.
• Invert onto serving plate.
• Cut into pie shaped wedges butter and honey on the side.
• Bread will keep for 1 week in plastic bag in refrigerator.