Marys Classic Soda Bread Food

EASY SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix together the flour, salt and bicarb in a bowl. And if you'd like rosemary bread, add the chopped rosemary too.
• Mix together the milk and lemon juice in a jug, and wait for a minute as it magically turns into buttermilk. Then stir in the honey, and simply pour it into the flour mixture. Stir it with a knife for a minute until the whole thing comes together into a sticky dough.
• Tip onto a floured work surface and shape it into a ball.
• Put the ball on a floured baking tray and, using a sharp knife, make a deep cross on top.
• Put in the oven and bake for 40 mins.
• Cool on a wire rack until warm, then slice and serve.

CLASSIC IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Whisk together first 5 ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In another bowl, whisk together 1 egg and buttermilk. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Stir in raisins., Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead gently 6-8 times. Shape into a 6-1/2-in. round loaf; place on a greased baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, make a shallow cross in top of loaf. Whisk remaining egg; brush over top., Bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Remove from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.

MARY'S CLASSIC SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/390°F/ fan 350°F/gas 6. Brush a 30fl oz Pyrex bowl with melted butter.
• Place the flours and salt into a large bowl. Sift in the baking soda and mix well. Add in the molasses, melted butter, and egg and pour in most of the buttermilk. Mix to form a soft dough adding in more buttermilk as needed. Transfer into the prepared Pyrex bowl.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. To check that the loaf is cooked, tap the base - it should sound hollow.
• Transfer to a cooling rack. If you want a soft crust, cover with a damp tea towel.

MARILYN O'REILLY'S IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt and stir well to mix.
• Add the butter and rub in until the butter disappears into the dry ingredients.
• Stir in the caraway seeds if used and the raisins.
• In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg together and mix into the dough mixture with a rubber spatula.
• Turn the dough out on a floured work surface and fold it over on itself several times, shaping it into a round loaf. Transfer the loaf to one cookie sheet or jelly roll pan covered with parchment or foil and cut a cross in the top. Bake for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350 and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes more, until well colored and a toothpick plunged into the center emerges clean.
• Cool the soda bread on a rack and serve with plenty of sweet butter and bitter orange marmalade.

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.