Irish Soda Bread With Currants Food

IRISH SODA BREAD WITH CURRANTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Combine flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add buttermilk and currants; stir just until moistened.
• Place dough on lightly floured surface; knead 10 times. Shape into 2-1/2-inch-thick round. Place on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Cut deep 1/2-inch "X" in top of dough; sprinkle with remaining sugar.
• Bake 1 hour or until golden brown. Remove bread from baking sheet to wire rack; cool completely before cutting into wedges.

EASY IRISH SODA BREAD WITH CURRANTS

Steps:

• Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl.
• Add dried currants and mix with a wooden spoon.
• Add the buttermilk and mix with a wooden spoon until it forms a sticky dough. If the dough is overly sticky, add a little more flour.
• Knead dough a few times in the mixing bowl or on a floured surface until it forms a round loaf. It will start out sticky and crumbly but after you knead it a few times, the dough will come together.
• Shape dough into a round and place in a Dutch oven with a lid.
• Cut two criss-cross slices into the top of the bread with a knife (see photo above). Brush the leftover buttermilk over the top of the bread.
• Bake covered for 30 minutes at 425F/215C and then about 15 minutes uncovered. The bread is done when golden brown and the internal temp is 180F/82C.
• Let bread cool on a wire rack. Place a couple pats of butter over the bread and let them melt as the bread cools.

IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.
• With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.
• Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.
• Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk. Using your hand, mix in the flour from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be soft but not wet and sticky.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface. Wash and dry your hands. Knead the dough lightly for a few seconds, then pat the dough into a round about 1 1/2 inches thick. Place it on a buttered baking sheet and using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross in the center of the dough reaching out all the way to the sides.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees, and continue to bake until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the bread sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes longer. Serve warm.

CHEF JOHN'S IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
• Whisk all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture using a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Beat buttermilk, egg, honey, and orange zest together in a bowl. Pour buttermilk mixture, currants, and raisins into flour mixture; stir with a wooden spoon until a wet, sticky dough comes together.
• Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface; press dough together into a soft ball of dough and cut into 2 pieces. Form each half into a smooth, round loaf. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and let rest for 15 minutes. Cut a 1/2-inch deep "X" into the top of each loaf with a serrated knife.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and fragrant, about 45 minutes. Transfer loaves to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C and dust a baking sheet with flour. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then rub in the butter. Pour in the buttermilk and mix it in quickly with a table knife, then bring the dough together very lightly with your fingertips (handle it very, very gently). Now shape it into a flat, round loaf measuring 20cm/8in in diameter.
• Put the loaf on the baking sheet and score a deep cross in the top. (Traditionally, this lets the fairies out, but it also helps the bread to cook through.) Bake for 30-35 minutes until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. If it isn't ready after this time, turn it upside down on the baking sheet and bake for a few minutes more.
• Transfer to a wire rack, cover with a clean tea towel (this keeps the crust nice and soft) and leave to cool. To serve, break into quarters, then break or cut each quarter in half to make 8 wedges or slices - or simply slice across. Eat very fresh.

TRADITIONAL IRISH CURRANT SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• Stir in currants and milk.
• Combine until well blended.
• Dough will be sticky.
• Turn out onto floured board and knead 10 times, until smooth.
• Shape into an 8" round loaf.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Cut an"X" with a knife into the top of the loaf.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
• Remove from oven; pour sugar and water glaze over the top and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes.

IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• in mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt.
• stir thoroughly.
• cut in butter till crumbly,.
• add buttermilk.
• stir just enough to moisten.
• turn on lightly floured surface.
• knead 8 to 10 times.
• put in greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.
• bake at 350 for 1 hour or until browned and inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• this may also be baked in a casserole or on a baking sheet.
• VARIATION;add one cup raisins or currants.

MARTHA'S SODA BREAD WITH RYE AND CURRANTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine milk and vinegar in a bowl; let stand until curdled and thickened, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together both flours, wheat bran, sugar, salt, and baking soda; stir in caraway seeds and currants.
• Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add milk mixture and stir together, starting in center and working outward, until a sticky dough forms (do not overmix). Transfer to a generously floured work surface and, with floured hands, form a cohesive ball. (Do not overwork dough.)
• Pat ball into a 7-inch-wide domed round and transfer to a baking sheet. Cut a 1-inch-deep "X" with a floured knife across top of round. Using a wooden skewer, poke holes at 1-inch intervals to bottom of dough (about 28 holes total).
• Bake soda bread until cooked through and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, 1 hour and 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing and serving with butter. Bread can be made 2 days ahead and stored, whole, at room temperature, in a paper bag or wrapped in parchment.