Whole Grain Irish Soda Bread Food

100% WHOLE WHEAT IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• In a big mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.
• Cut in butter until it reaches a coarse meal consistency. (I started with two knives, then finished the process with my fingers.).
• Add raisins.
• Combine liquids separately. Add liquids to dry ingredients.
• Mix until a soft dough forms. At some point it will become hard to stir it, and it will be better to use your hands. Kneading the dough is the best way to combine all the ingredients completely -- knead it gently until it is smooth (about 3 minutes). You can knead it right there in the mixing bowl.
• Shape the dough into two balls, and place them on a greased cookie sheet. Flatten each ball slightly and cut an X about 1/4" deep in the top of each loaf.
• Bake at 375 for 35 minutes.

WHOLE GRAIN IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• In a big bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center.
• Add buttermilk and stir to combine. Knead into a smooth, shaggy dough. If the dough is too wet, add more flour, if it is too dry, add a tad more buttermilk.
• On a lightly floured surface roll into a ball. Place on a paper-lined baking sheet and slightly pat down.
• Make a cross on top using a sharp knife. Sprinkle some flour on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven at 200°C/400°F for about 25 minutes checking in near the end to prevent overbrowning. If a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, it is ready. Alternatively you can tap it on the bottom and if it sounds hollow, it is ready.
• Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
• This is best eaten the day it is made, but will keep wrapped in a clean tea towel for a few days.

IRISH WHOLE WHEAT SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet or an 8- or 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray.
• Sift whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together until well combined. Add enough buttermilk to make a soft dough that's firm enough to hold its shape.
• Knead on a lightly floured surface until dough is smooth and velvety, 2 to 3 minutes. It will seem very crumbly for a while until everything gets incorporated.
• Form into a round loaf and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Cut a cross on the top of the loaf with a very sharp, floured knife. (The cross is a characteristic of soda bread.)
• Bake in the preheated oven until loaf is browned and sounds hollow when you tap on it, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

FIVE-GRAIN SODA BREAD

Steps:

• In bowl, combine all purpose, whole wheat, rye, graham flours and rolled oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Cut in margarine until well mixed.
• Stir in raisins, if using, add buttermilk and stir to make soft dough.
• Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead about 10 times or until smooth.
• Place on greased baking sheet, flatten into circle about 2 1/2 inches thick.
• Cut a large "x" about 1/4 inch deep on top.
• Bake in 350°F oven for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

SEEDED WHOLE GRAIN SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Mix millet, quinoa, amaranth, 1 cup oats, 1 cup buttermilk, and 1/2 cup water in a small bowl. Cover and let sit 8-12 hours. (Alternatively, bring ingredients to a simmer in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and let sit until mixture is thick like porridge, about 2 hours.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil an 8"-diameter cast-iron skillet or cake pan. Whisk whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, flaxseed, salt, baking soda, and 1/4 cup sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Work in butter with your fingers until largest pieces are pea-size. Make a well in the center and add brown rice syrup, oat mixture, remaining 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough is smooth, homogenous, and still slightly sticky.
• Form dough into a ball and place in prepared pan. Brush with buttermilk; top with more oats and sunflower seeds. Cut a large X into the top and bake until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of loaf registers 190°F, 55-70 minutes. Let cool in pan.
• Do ahead
• Bread can be baked 2 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

WHOLE WHEAT IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Mix milk and lemon.
• Combine dry ingredients.
• Add milk and lemon mixture (buttermilk may be used instead).
• On floured bread board (I use whole wheat) knead dough for no more than a minute.
• Shape dough into a circle with a height of about two inches.
• Place on lightly oiled baking sheet.
• With (sharp) floured knife, cut an x nearly halfway through the dough.
• Bake about 40 minutes in 400F degrees degree oven.
• Dough should sound hollow when tapped with knuckles or handle of spoon.
• Place loaf on wire rack and let rest at least an hour before slicing.

WHOLE WHEAT SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, salt and baking soda.
• Using your fingertips, work the softened butter into the flour mixture.
• In a small bowl, whisk the egg.
• Add the buttermilk to the egg; mix well.
• Make a well in the flour and add most of the buttermilk/egg mixture - reserving about 1/4 cup.
• Use your hands to combine the dry and wet ingredients until it forms a loose dough.
• If the dough will not come together, add some or all of the remaining buttermilk/egg mixture.
• On a well-floured surface, turn out the dough.
• Sprinkle the dough with flour and shape it into a 7-8 inch circle.
• Flatten it slightly with the tips of your fingers.
• Place the loaf on a baking sheet (I line mine with parchment paper).
• Score (criss-cross) the top of the loaf with a bread knife, cutting about 1/4 inch deep, and making three cuts in one direction and 3 more cuts crossing them.
• Bake for 15 minutes at 450°F.
• Reduce the heat to 400 F and continue baking another 20 minutes.
• If you have an instant read thermometer, insert it halfway into the bottom of the loaf.
• The thermometer should read 190/195 F when baked.
• Let cool for 15 minutes; then serve.