As you may have seen a couple weeks ago, I made some spectacular Guinness stew. To go with it, I decided to try my hand at bread. While I was attempting such, I decided it was time to try to learn to make bread well. So for the first installment of learning to make the best type of Carb, I did Irish soda bread.
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for currants (Didn't use currants)
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, shaken (Used 1 cup 2% and 3/4 cup of sour cream and whisked it to together)
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (Didn't have so didn't use)
1 cup dried currants (Didn't have so didn't use)
(Ended up added 2 tablespoons of molasses to give a bit of sweet )
Method
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.
With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.
Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.
Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for currants (Didn't use currants)
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, shaken (Used 1 cup 2% and 3/4 cup of sour cream and whisked it to together)
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (Didn't have so didn't use)
1 cup dried currants (Didn't have so didn't use)
(Ended up added 2 tablespoons of molasses to give a bit of sweet )
Method
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.
With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.
Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.
Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Viola!
With a bit of honey butter in the morning...DELISH!
While I normally NEVER change or substitute much in a baking recipe, I was wary with how this would turn out. The bread didn't keep well, but that is the nature of the dough. The molasses added a bit of depth of flavor. Though the crust was bit tough, it was prefect for dunking in the stew. A solid first try, I think.
Until the next meal...
**Today's title comes from Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games: And it's not just that I don't want to be alone. It's him.I do not want to lose the boy with the bread.**
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