Showing posts with label Soda Bread. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Soda Bread. Show all posts
Got my Patty's Day tee
March 17th tee arrived today and delighted with it - glad I got the fridge magnets too. To celebrate I baked some brown bread last night using my new fangled foolproof recipe. This is a good news day.
Softer Crust - Part II
How to achieve that elusive soft crust on home baked bread
Previously I wrote about tips and tricks to ensure that homemade bread (Irish brown bread in particular) doesn't suffer from an overly hard crust. The adding of Oil and wrapping the bread in a tea-towel both help.Recently I read that adding an egg would also help so I tried it last night.
Success ! This morning's bread is pretty much my best ever - here what I did:-
- Followed my basic Brown Bread Recipe
- Added two tablespoons Olive Oil
- Added one egg
- Lightly beat the egg and oil together before adding with the milk
- When finished baking, wrapped the bread in tea towel and allowed to cool
Irish Brown Bread
Irish Brown bread - also referred to as Brown Soda Bread; this is very similar to the White Soda bread except for the wholemeal flour... and I love to add a few extras.
Ingredients:
Directions:
I like to add Wheatgerm and Flaxseed to my brown bread - it adds colour, complexity and of course it's good for you. Usually a few tablespoons will do but feel free to experiment. I also add a little oil which makes the bread nice and soft, lately I've been using Flax Oil as it has some additional health benefits over Olive Oil (which is also great by the way); a couple of tablespoons added along with the buttermilk.
Ingredients:
- 1lb / 450g coarse wholemeal flour
- 6 oz / 175g plain white flour
- 1 rounded teaspoon bread soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ pint / 450ml buttermilk (approx.)
Directions:
- Preheat over to 400 °F / 200 °C / gas mark 6.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir in enough buttermilk to make a fairly soft dough.
- Turn on to a work surface dusted with wholemeal flour and lightly pull together; no heavy kneading required.
- Form into a circle, about 2" thick, and place onto a baking sheet. Mark a deep cross in the top with a knife.
- Bake for about 45 minutes, until bread is browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the base.
- Cool on a wire rack and optionally wrap in a clean tea/dish towel if you want to keep the crust soft.
I like to add Wheatgerm and Flaxseed to my brown bread - it adds colour, complexity and of course it's good for you. Usually a few tablespoons will do but feel free to experiment. I also add a little oil which makes the bread nice and soft, lately I've been using Flax Oil as it has some additional health benefits over Olive Oil (which is also great by the way); a couple of tablespoons added along with the buttermilk.
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients:
Directions:
Soda bread only takes 2 or 3 minutes to make and 20-30 minutes to bake. For the novice, it's a great way to start baking!
First fully preheat your oven to 230ºC/450ºF/regulo 8.
Sieve the dry ingredients. Make a well in the centre. Pour most of the milk in at once. Using one hand, mix in the flour from the sides of the bowl, adding more milk if necessary. The dough should be softish, not too wet and sticky. When it all comes together, turn it out onto a well floured worked surface. WASH AND DRY YOUR HANDS. Knead lightly for a second, just enough to tidy it up, flip over. Pat the dough into a round about 1½ inches (2.5cm) deep and cut a cross. Let the cuts go over the sides of the bread to make sure of this. Bake in a hot oven, 230ºC/450ºF/regulo 8 for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/regulo 6 for 30 minutes or until cooked. If you are in doubt, tap the bottom of the bread: if it is cooked it will sound hollow.
We have had the greatest fun experimenting with different variations and uses. It's also great with olives, sun dried tomatoes or caramelized onions added, so the possibilities are endless for the hitherto humble soda bread.
Variations:
We have had the greatest fun experimenting with different variations and uses. It's also great with olives, sun dried tomatoes or caramelized onions added, so the possibilities are endless for the hitherto humble soda bread.
Also try different shapes and of course, you can make soda bread scones!
- 1 lb (450g/3¼ cups) white flour, preferably unbleached
- 1 level teaspoon/½ American teaspoon salt
- 1 level teaspoon/½ American teaspoon breadsoda
- Sour milk or buttermilk to mix - 12-14 fl ozs (350-412 ml) approx.
Directions:
Soda bread only takes 2 or 3 minutes to make and 20-30 minutes to bake. For the novice, it's a great way to start baking!
First fully preheat your oven to 230ºC/450ºF/regulo 8.
Sieve the dry ingredients. Make a well in the centre. Pour most of the milk in at once. Using one hand, mix in the flour from the sides of the bowl, adding more milk if necessary. The dough should be softish, not too wet and sticky. When it all comes together, turn it out onto a well floured worked surface. WASH AND DRY YOUR HANDS. Knead lightly for a second, just enough to tidy it up, flip over. Pat the dough into a round about 1½ inches (2.5cm) deep and cut a cross. Let the cuts go over the sides of the bread to make sure of this. Bake in a hot oven, 230ºC/450ºF/regulo 8 for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/regulo 6 for 30 minutes or until cooked. If you are in doubt, tap the bottom of the bread: if it is cooked it will sound hollow.
We have had the greatest fun experimenting with different variations and uses. It's also great with olives, sun dried tomatoes or caramelized onions added, so the possibilities are endless for the hitherto humble soda bread.
Variations:
We have had the greatest fun experimenting with different variations and uses. It's also great with olives, sun dried tomatoes or caramelized onions added, so the possibilities are endless for the hitherto humble soda bread.
Also try different shapes and of course, you can make soda bread scones!
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