Irish Soda Bread Recipe

2 C. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 1/2 T. sugar
6 T. shortening
2/3 C. raisins, brown or golden or mixed
2 t. caraway
1 C. buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and sugar. Using a pastry blender or fingertips, work the shortening into the flour until the consistency is the same as that of small peas. Stir in the raisins and caraway and mix to distribute evenly.

Gradually stir in the buttermilk, 1/4 cup at a time, using only enough to allow the dough to come together. Knead the dough for 1 - 2 minutes.

Shape the dough into a round loaf and place on a greased baking sheet. Cut a "X" on the top and over the sides of the loaf. Bake for 45 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a rack
 

Irish Soda Bread 3 cups sifted unbleached flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 stick lightly salted butter, at room temperature 3/4 cup currants 1 tbsp. caraway seeds 1 egg 1 cup buttermilk 2 tbsp. honey Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly mix together sifted flour, soda, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the soft butter, working it in with your fingers until it is evenly distributed and the texture is a bit like corn meal. Stir in the currants and caraway seeds. Beat egg, buttermilk, and honey together in a small bowl. Add milk mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring briefly only to moisten evenly. Do not overmix. Turn out on a lightly floured board and briefly knead to form a smooth dough. Shape into a high, round ball. Place on a buttered baking sheet. Slash across vertically and horizontally about 4 " long and 1/2" deep. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. Cool 30 minutes before slicing.

Irish Soda Muffins

2 1/4 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar (1 tablespoon
reserved for sprinkling on top)
3/4 cup currants (first choice) or raisins
1/2 to 2 teaspoons caraway seeds (the
effect will range from faint to assertive)
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk (or plain yogurt, or sour cream)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick, 1/4 cup) butter or margarine, melted, (OR ¼ cup vegetable oil)

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, currants or raisins, and caraway seeds. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk (or equivalent) and melted butter (or equivalent). Quickly and gently combine the dry and wet ingredients; honestly, this won't take more than a few stirs with a bowl scraper or large spoon. As soon as everything is evenly moistened, quit; further stirring will cause the muffins to be tough.

Spoon the batter into 12 lightly greased cups in a standard muffin pan, filling the cups about 2/3 full. Bake the muffins in a preheated 400°F oven for 15 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove them from the oven, wait 5 minutes, then remove the muffins from the pan and cool them on a wire rack. Serve them plain, or with butter and/or jam. Yield: 12 muffins.

Irish Treacle Bread

2 tablespoons dark molasses
7 fl oz milk (approximately)
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 lb flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Good pinch of ground ginger

Heat the molasses and milk together. Mix all dry ingredients together: add liquid until a soft dough is achieved. With floured hands, shape into a round cake about 1 1/2 inches thick.

Cut into farls, put on a floured baking sheet and bake at 400F for 40 minutes.

Farls: triangular cake: a triangular oatcake, scone, or piece of shortbread, made by cutting a round cake into four sections

Irish Whole Wheat Soda Bread Recipe

3 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. all-purpose flour
1 T. salt
1 t. baking soda
3/4 t. baking powder
1 1/2 C. buttermilk

In a large bowl, sift together both flours, salt, baking soda and baking powder until well-combined. Add enough buttermilk to make a soft dough, but firm enough to hold its shape.

Knead on a lightly floured board for 2 to 3 minutes, until dough is quite smooth and velvety. Form into a round loaf and place in a well-buttered, 8-inch cake pan or on a well-buttered cookie sheet. Cut a cross on the top of the loaf with a very sharp, floured knife.

Bake in a preheated 375°F. oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the loaf is nicely browned and sounds hollow when thumped with the knuckles. The cross will have spread open, which is characteristic of soda bread.

Oatcakes 6 oz Fine Oatmeal 2 oz Flour 1 teaspoon of Salt 10 fl oz of Warm Water Mix the flour and salt together. Slowly add the warm water. Roll out the mixture on a floured board and knead until 1/4 inch thick. Cut into triangles. Cook on a pan or griddle until golden on both sides. Dry out in a cool oven at 150C/300F until crisp - eat with butter. Makes 8 Cakes

Potato Scones
Makes 16 scones

2 cups warm mashed potatoes
3 tablespoons melted butter or bacon fat
2/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Butter, honey or pancake syrup

Blend the potatoes with the butter or bacon fat in a mixing bowl. Stir in as much of the flour as the potatoes will take without becoming too dry. Turn out on a floured surface; roll to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into circles; prick tops with a fork.

Heat a greased cast-iron griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook scones until brown on one side, about 5 minutes. Turn; cook to brown other side, 5 minutes. Serve warm with butter, honey or syrup.

Raisin Scones
Makes 12 scones

2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
5 tablespoons each: sugar, unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 egg, lightly beaten

Sift the flour and baking powder together into the container of a food processor with the metal blade in place; add sugar and butter. Pulse until mixture resembles fine crumbs, about 30 pulses. Place the flour mixture in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center; add the milk and raisins. Gently stir, being careful not to overmix.

Place dough on lightly floured surface; knead lightly 2 or 3 times. Roll dough to 3 /8-inch thickness. Cut out scones with a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter. Leftover dough scraps can be re-rolled for cutting. Place rounds on a greased baking sheet; brush egg on tops with pastry brush. Let stand 15 minutes. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake scones until lightly browned, 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Soda Farls Recipe

1 C. all purpose flour
1 C. cake flour
2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 C. buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients together. Add buttermilk and stir. Turn dough onto floured board and knead gently, forming a round, about 10-12 inches. Cut into quarters.

Fry farls in a "wee" bit of butter, until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes on each side. You may need to set them on end to help cook the sides.

Soda Scones Recipe

1/2 C. currants
1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1 C. white pastry flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 T. sugar
1/4 t. lemon juice
1 C. buttermilk
extra buttermilk (for brushing)
extra sugar (for sprinkling)

Soak the currants in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain them. Set the oven at 350°F. Flour a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose and pastry flours, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Add the currants. Form a well in the center, add the lemon juice and buttermilk and mix with a wooden spoon just until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat it out to a 1/2-inch thickness. For square scones: shape the dough into a rectangle. Using a sharp knife or pizza wheel, trim the edges to form right angles and cut the dough into 12 pieces. For round scones: use a 2-inch round cookie cutter with sharp edges (if you use a drinking glass, the sides of the scones will be pinched) to cut out 12 scones. Reshape trimmings.

Place the scones on the baking sheet, brush them with buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar. Transfer to the hot oven and bake them for 15 minutes or until they are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted to the center of a scone comes out clean. Serve warm.

Makes 12 Scones.

Tender Potato Rolls

3 to 3-1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup packaged instant mashed potato flakes
1 egg

In a large mixing bowl stir together 1 cup of the flour and the yeast. In a medium saucepan heat and stir the water, milk, shortening, sugar, and salt just until warm (120 degrees F to 130 degrees F) and shortening almost melts. Stir in the potato flakes. Let stand for 1 minute. Add milk mixture to dry mixture along with the egg. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping the sides of the bowl. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface of the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 1-1/4 hours).

Punch dough down. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Lightly grease two 8x8x2-inch or 9x9x2-inch baking pans.

On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut dough with a floured 2-1/2-inch round cutter. Place rolls in prepared baking pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (30 to 40 minutes).

Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Immediately remove rolls from pans. Cool the rolls on wire racks.

Makes 20 to 24 rolls.

Make-Ahead Tips: Before letting the shaped roll dough rise, cover shaped rolls in pan with oiled waxed paper, then with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. Remove from refrigerator and let stand, covered, at room temperature for 20 minutes. Bake following directions above. Or, up to 2 weeks ahead, prepare and bake the rolls. Wrap in moisture-vapor proof wrap and freeze.

Weight Watchers Brown Soda Bread  

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups fat-free buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Combine the flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add the buttermilk and stir with a wooden spoon until just moistened. Gather the mixture into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 2 to 3 times.

Divide the dough in half and press into 2 round loafs. Transfer to the baking sheet.

With a sharp knife, cut a cross over the surface of each loaf. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer the loaves to a rack to cool completely. Cut each loaf into 12 slices.

Note: To store, wrap the cooled loaf in a clean tea towel and keep at room temperature. Soda breads may be kept this way for up to two days.

Nutritional content per serving: 110 calories; 0 grams fat and cholesterol; 12 milligrams sodium; 1 gram fiber; 4 grams protein.

Wheaten Bread Recipe

2 C. coarse whole wheat flour
2 C. all purpose flour
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
1/4 C. butter
2 eggs
3/4 C. buttermilk
2 T. oil
1 T. molasses

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender.

Beat eggs, add liquids and mix with dry ingredients. Turn onto floured board and knead gently to form a loaf. Place in a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

Bake at 375°F. for 55 - 60 minutes. The dough can also be baked in a round shape on a baking sheet. After kneading, shape into a round and cut with a knife about 1/2 inch deep, in a cross shape. It will take less time to bake, about 45 - 50 minutes.

Yellowmeal Bread 6 ounces masa harina 10 ounces all- -purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 12 fluid ounces sour milk Preheat oven to 230c/450F and leave a baking sheet in the oven to heat. Sieve all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Give them a quick mix with your hand before making a well in the center. Pour in nearly all the milk. Steadying the bowl with one hand, use the other to draw in all the flour to make a soft and very pliable dough. Add the rest of the milk if you need it. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and shape it into a round of about 1 1/2 inch thickness. Firmly cut a cross into the surface of the dough, transfer to the hot baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes in the oven. Test with a skewer. When tapped on the bottom the loaf should sound hollow. Serves 12