Irish Soda Spelt Bread Food

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.

THE BEST IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line an 8-inch round cake pan with a large sheet of parchment paper, pressing it into the edges of the pan and leaving an overhang on 2 sides (the extra parchment will help you unmold the loaf later).
• Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Add the butter cubes to the flour mixture and toss to combine. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut or rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the currants and caraway seeds.
• Whisk the buttermilk and egg together in a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the buttermilk mixture into the center. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to stir the mixture until it starts to come together in a shaggy mass.
• Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Turn the dough mixture out onto the floured surface and knead a few times to bring it together. Shape it into a domed disk. Place the dough into the prepared cake pan and cut a cross about 1/2-inch deep into the surface of the dough with a sharp knife. Bake until the top is puffed and lightly browned and a cake tester comes out clean, 60 to 75 minutes. Remove from the oven and use the parchment overhang to lift the bread from the pan. Place on a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with good Irish butter.

GLUTEN-FREE IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a baking sheet and dust it with sweet rice flour.
• Whisk the sweet rice flour, sorghum flour, almond flour, teff flour and potato flour together to aerate and incorporate them. Mix in the oats, flaxseed, baking soda and salt. Toss in the currants.
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in 2 cups of the buttermilk. Mix the buttermilk into the flour mixture, gradually adding more buttermilk as necessary, until the dough is moist and soft but not wet, with no visible flour left. You will probably use about 3 cups, but feel free to use less or more, depending on your kitchen.
• Turn the dough out onto the prepared baking sheet. With lightly floured hands, shape the dough into a round about 3 inches thick. Cut a deep cross into the top of the loaf with a wet, serrated knife. Beat the egg with the water in a cup. Brush the egg wash evenly onto the loaf.
• Bake until the crust is dark brown and you hear a hollow thump on the bottom when you tap it, 45 to 60 minutes. Transfer the bread to a rack. Serve warm or cool completely.

IRISH AND SCOTTISH GAELIC SODA BREAD SCONES

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 220C/450F.
• Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the smaller quantity of buttermilk, 400ml or 14 fluid ozs.
• Mix by hand, adding more buttermilk if necessary, until you have a soft but not sticky dough.
• Turn out on to a floured surface and knead lightly - just enough to shape the dough into a round. Flatten it to about 2.5cm/1in thick and cut out 8-10 scones, using a 7.5cm/3in plain cutter.
• Put on to a floured baking tray and bake for about 20 minutes, until well risen and golden. Leave to cool slightly on a wire rack.
• Serve with soup, stews or traditional breakfasts.

NOREEN KINNEY'S IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Adjust an oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 425°F. Coat a heavy baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray or line it with a silicone baking pan liner or aluminum foil.
• In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. Add the butter and work it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the fat particles are very fine. Stir in the baking soda, salt, sugar, wheat bran, oat bran, wheat germ, flaxseed, and sunflower seeds.
• Beat the egg lightly with a fork in a 2-cup glass measure. Add enough buttermilk to come to the 2-cup line and stir with the fork to combine well. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the dough gathers into a thick, wet-looking mass.
• Sprinkle your work surface with whole wheat flour and scrape the dough onto it. Dust the dough with a bit more whole wheat flour. Pat the dough into a circular shape about 7 inches across and 2 inches high and transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Don't be concerned about evenness-the loaf should look rustic. Make a cross-shaped indentation on top of the loaf going right to the edges. I use a plastic bench scraper and press it into the dough very gently; don't actually cut the dough. During baking the indentation expands, giving the top of the loaf an attractive pattern.
• Bake the bread for about 40 minutes, until it is well browned and sounds hollow when rapped on the bottom. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf should register 195° to 200°F. Cool the loaf on a wire cooling rack, and serve warm or at room temperature. Cut into quarters and slice each quarter with a sharp serrated knife. Delicious with butter.
• Storing:
• The loaf keeps well at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 2 to 3 days. The entire loaf or quarters of it can also be frozen when completely cool. Wrap in plastic wrap, place in heavy-duty resealable plastic bags, and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Thaw completely before unwrapping. If desired, refresh the bread in a preheated 300°F oven for 10 minutes.

ROSIE'S TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Combine dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
• In a small bowl beat eggs and stir in sour cream.
• Add the egg and sour cream mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon.
• Batter will be very thick.
• Add the raisins and caraway seeds and stir well with wooden spoon or knead in with your hands.
• Place batter in a greased 9 inch springform pan.
• Dust the top with enough flour so that you can pat the batter like a bread dough evenly in the pan without it sticking to your hands.
• With a knife make a shallow crisscross on the top.
• Bake for 50 minutes in a preheated 350ºF oven.

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.

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.