Nana Kathleens Irish White Soda Fruit Bread Food

NANA KATHLEEN'S IRISH WHITE SODA FRUIT BREAD

Steps:

• 1. Preheat your oven to 425F
• 2. In a large bowl, sieve the flour and bread soda together (make sure you sieve the breadsoda before you sieve it with the flour)
• 3. Add salt, sugar and raisins. mix the ingredients together lifting them above the bowl and letting them fall loosely back into the bowl. Always use your hands and never a mixer.
• 4. Make a well in the centre of the flour. Break the egg into the bottom of a jug and add buttermilk. Pour most of this liquid into the flour. Using your hand with fingers open and stiff mix in a circle drawing in the flour from the sides. Add remainder of buttermilk if necessary. Dough should be soft not too wet
• 5. Mix as quickly as possible to keep dough light and airy, NEVER over mix. When the dough comes together turn it on to to a well floured centre. roll lightly for a few seconds,pat into a round about 2in high
• 6. Place dough on a baking tray dusted with flour. Cut a deep cross in it and prick the four triangles with your knife (to let the fairies out). Put in oven for 15-20 mins then reduce temp to 400f for a further 20-25 mins. when the bread is cooked it will sound hollow when tapped cool on a wire rack
• 7. cut a slice and smother with butter to have with a cup of tea

NANA DOT'S IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets.
• Stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl until evenly blended. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in the raisins, currants, and caraway seeds, then make a well in the center and pour in the milk and vinegar. Stir with a spoon until the dry ingredients are moistened.
• Turn the dough out onto a well floured work surface, and knead gently 8 to 10 times. Divide the dough into two balls, and place onto the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and bake until the top of the bread is golden brown, about 15 minutes more.

FRUITY IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, allspice and salt and mix well. Cut the butter and shortening into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Using your fingers, work the cold butter and shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg, the buttermilk, the dried fruit and the walnuts and mix into the flour mixture until it is incorporated. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently until the dough forms a smooth ball. Shape the dough into a round loaf. Place the dough onto a lightly oiled baking sheet. Score the top of the loaf with a very sharp knife. Place the loaf in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.

FRUIT & SPICE SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Whizz the porridge oats and butter together in a food processor, or rub the butter into the oats with your fingertips in a big bowl. Stir in the flours, caster sugar, bicarb, mixed spice, 1 tsp salt, the raisins, sultanas, dates and mixed peel.
• Pour over the buttermilk and quickly stir in with a round-bladed knife. Tip out onto a flour-dusted surface and gently bring together into a ball with your hands. Transfer to a flour-dusted baking sheet and scatter over the demerara sugar, pressing it into the top. Use a sharp, flour-dusted knife to cut a big cross in the top and bake for 30-35 mins until crusty on the outside. Eat warm or cold, thickly sliced, with butter.

NANA'S IRISH SODA BREAD WITH WHISKEY SOAKED RAISINS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a small saucepan or in the microwave, bring the whiskey and honey to a boil and add the raisins or currants. Cover and off the heat. Set aside and let steep.
• Butter a round 1 1/2 to 2 quart baking dish, set aside.
• Add the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl; use a wire whisk to combine.
• In a small bowl, beat the eggs and stir in the sour cream, mixing well to combine.
• Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, stir well with a wooden spoon (batter will be thick).
• Stir in the whiskey-soaked raisins or currants (along with the whiskey-honey they were steeped in); blend well.
• Turn batter into the prepared baking dish.
• Dust the top with flour and pat the batter evenly in the pan with your hands.
• Use a sharp knife to make a cross on the top.
• Bake for 50 minutes in preheated 350 F oven.
• Remove to a rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a serving dish. Cut into wedges and serve warm with real butter.

NANA KATIE'S IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Grease two 8" round cake pans and preheat oven to 400
• Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Flour a large breadboard and place dough on board. Knead just a little, about 8 or 10 times. Cut dough in half.
• Form dough into a round shape and place in pans. Brush tooops with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. I do not put a cross on tops, I leave them plain.
• Place in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes then turn oven too 350 and bake for 25 or 30 minutes. Remove from pans and wrap in tea towel to keep crust from getting too hard.