The base of this Irish soda bread is from Paul Hollywood who is pretty much the bread god of England. It’s also the easiest bread you will ever make as there is no yeast, no proving and no kneading. It’s partly whole wheat which I prefer, and I’ve added rosemary and lightly sautéed onions to give it a flavour boost. I loved it in my easy cheese and onion bread with herbs. With a base of just 6 ingredients, it’s the perfect bread to make on the weekend for brunch, lunch or to serve with soup.
If by chance you have any leftovers, you could make a delicious Welsh Rarebit. Which is what I did. I hadn’t made this in ages and craved the molten cheesy goodness.
After some research on the interwebs, I discovered there are so many variations to the Welsh Rarebit. In any case, beer or ale is used (yum) and some have eggs and others do not. I decided to make this recipe based on what I had on hand and decided not to open a beer to use a few tablespoons.
I think egg yolk is essential to give it unctuousness and a silky texture.Melted mature cheddar, with Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce, is quite heavenly. You could add cayenne if you needed more spice or even a pinch of chilli flakes. There are so many possible variations. Next time I’llfinely chop up streaky bacon for atopping to the grill to a crisp.
This is a perfect light lunch in winter or a Sunday night supper in front of the telly.
Recipe – Welsh Rarebit (make this with the Irish soda bread you make)
20g butter
20g flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
2 free-range egg yolks, lightly beaten
60g mature Cheddar, grated
4 slices of bread (it’s great with the Irish soda bread)
Melt the butter in a small pot and add the flour to make a roux. Add the milk and keep stirring until you have a smooth and thick sauce.
Add the mustard, a pinch of salt, a grind of pepper and Worcestershire sauce and stir. When the flour has cooked out, remove it from the heat and while whisking add the egg yolks. When they are incorporated, mix in the cheese.
Place the bread on a baking tray and toast one side until brown under a hot grill. Remove and spread the Welsh Rarebit mix over the untoasted side and place it under the grill again. Cook until bubbling and brown.
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Easy no-knead focaccia bread
Recipe ~ Irish Soda Bread (adapted from Paul Hollywood)
You can keep this plain or add the rosemary and onions as I did. Or you could add whatever other flavours you like. Cheese, bacon, corn, chives, pimentos, olives…….
An easy Irish soda bread recipe with rosemary & sauteed onions (adapted form Paul Hollywood)
Print Recipe
Prep Time:10 minutesmins
Cook Time:50 minutesmins
Ingredients
250gall-purpose flour
250gwhole wheat or nutty wheat flour
1tspsalt
1tspbaking soda/bicarbonate of soda
420mlbuttermilk
1 1/2Tbschopped rosemary
2brown onionschopped
1Tbspbutter
Instructions
Heat the butter in a frying pan, preferablynon-stick and saute the onions for about 5 minutes on medium-low heat until they soften and start becoming translucent. You don't want them to brown, but they retain texture. Allow to cool.
You can make this by hand or use a mixer with a paddle attachment. Place all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine. Add the buttermilk and cooled onions buttermilk and very quickly mix to incorporate. Do not overmix.
Tip out on a floured surface and bring the dough intoa round ball. Flatten this slightly and cut 4 slits around the sides - about 1/4 of the way into the dough.
Lift the dough onto a lined baking sheet and bake in an oventhat has been preheated to 200C for 35 - 45 minutes. It is done when it is browned on the outside and gives a hollow sound when tapped. You could also test by piercing with a sharp knife.
Irish brown bread has a deep, nutty flavor because of its wheat flour and wheat bran while soda bread uses only white flour. Soda bread is slightly sweet and more scone-like while Irish brown bread is more savory with a tender interior.
There are two main reasons that your Irish soda bread might fall apart. The first is too much flour. I recommend using the “fluff and scoop” method: fluff up your flour with a spoon, then scoop the flour into your measuring cup lightly without packing it down. The second is too much kneading.
Irish soda bread was first created in the 1830s, when baking soda was first introduced to the UK. At the time, Ireland was facing financial hardship and lack of resources, so they turned to soda bread out of neccessity, it was inexpensive and required few ingredients.
The baking soda does the job of yeast and makes the bread rise. Since it's not as powerful as yeast, the bread is dense rather than fluffy. It's beautiful and delicious!
This versatile bread works for any meal, but Irish soda bread is a natural for breakfast, whether simply spread with (Irish) butter and jam or alongside that hearty fry-up known as a full Irish breakfast. It's also wonderful with a cup of tea in the afternoon or as a late-night snack.
This soda bread recipe – which uses bicarbonate of soda rather than yeast – allows you to whip up delicious home-made bread quickly, and give your gut health a massive boost in the process. “Soda bread lends itself beautifully to healthy loaves that are full of nutrition,” says nutritionist Reece Carter.
Tightly wrap your leftover bread and place it in an airtight container. There's no need to refrigerate. As for how long soda bread lasts: Irish soda bread tends to dry out faster than other breads. The bread will be good for 3-4 days or up to three months if frozen.
Whole-wheat soda bread is a healthy addition to your plate! One serving—a 1/2-inch-thick slice—provides complex carbohydrates for sustained energy, protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals.
The most traditional doneness test calls for thumping the hot bread in the center to hear if it's hollow-sounding. A more foolproof indication is temperature; the loaf will register 200°F to 205°F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted in the center of the bread.
In Ulster, the wholemeal variety is usually known as wheaten bread and is normally sweetened, while the term "soda bread" is restricted to the white savoury form. In the southern provinces of Ireland, the wholemeal variety is usually known as brown bread and is almost identical to the Ulster wheaten.
I was always told that the cross on the top of Irish Soda Bread was to symbolize the Catholic faith of Ireland, and the Gaelic Cross. Some say it kept the Devil out, but that is what a cross is supposed to do also. Turns out that is true but more importantly, it helps in the baking of the bread.
If you want to make an authentic Irish soda bread, the difference lies in what ingredients you should omit. According to Epicurious, Irish-American soda breads use caraway seeds and raisins in the recipe, while soda breads from Ireland lack both of these add-ins.
And finally, don't immediately cut into the Fast Irish Soda bread when you pull it out of the oven. Although this bread is best served warm, cutting into it too quickly will turn the bread gummy.
However, the reality is that in Donegal and Leitrim there was a tradition of putting caraway seeds in bread. The likelihood is that the tradition was taken by immigrants to America.
Irish soda bread has a couple of other names, too: When we attended a class at the famous Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork, Ireland, they made this loaf and called it a Spotted Dog. It's also called white soda bread, American Irish soda bread, or fruit soda bread.
Both types of bread use flour and contain refined carbohydrates. Sourdough bread would be considered healthier in the fact that it is a fermented food with lower gluten levels, making it easier to digest.
Introduction: My name is Edwin Metz, I am a fair, energetic, helpful, brave, outstanding, nice, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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