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Monday 16 March 2009

A Little Bit O Irish Bread!



“May your thoughts be as glad as shamrocks,

May your heart be as light as song,

May each day bring you bright, happy hours,

That stay with you all the year long."



Have a happy St Patrick’s Day my friends tomorrow!

I bring to you yet another famous product from that beautiful Emerald Isle – White Soda Bread, in honour of St Patrick’s Day tomorrow. I have made quite a few soda breads in my time but this recipe from Rachel Allen’s Bake has to be my favourite. Every recipe I have baked from this book of Rachel Allen’s, has turned out excellent without fail.

Soda bread is a quick bread using bicarbonate of soda for the leavening instead of yeast. The buttermilk reacts with the bicarbonate of soda causing little tiny little bubbles of carbon dioxide. However, this soda bread doesn’t keep as well as its cousin a typical white loaf made from yeast and its best eaten within two days or toasted thereafter smothered in butter!




Ballymaloe White Soda Bread – slightly adapted


Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients
450g (1 lb) plain flour
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
1 tsp Salt
350 - 425ml (12–15 fl oz) Buttermilk


Method

Preheat the oven to 230°C/fan 200°C/450°F/Gas Mark 8.

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in most of the buttermilk (leaving about 60ml in the measuring jug). Using one hand with your fingers outstretched like a claw, bring the flour and liquid together, adding more buttermilk if necessary. Do not knead the mixture or it will become heavy. The dough should be soft but not too wet and sticky.

When the dough comes together, turn onto a floured work surface and bring together a little more. Pat the dough into a roundabout 4cm deep and cut a deep cross in the top.

Place the dough onto a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then turn down the heat to 200°C/Fan 180°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 and bake for a further 20 – 30 minutes. When ready, the loaf will sound slightly hollow when tapped on the base and be golden in colour.

Allow to cool on a wire rack before serving.
Lastly, sit back, relax, and sink your teeth into a slice of divine Irish Soda Bread spread with Kerrygold Pure Irish butter - scrumptious!

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

I made my Irish Soda Bread Saturday. It is just too good. I put caraway seeds and raisins in mine. Yours however, looks fantastic!

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

I also made a Soda Bread this afternoon ;-P... Yours looks terrific!

Happy St. Patrick's day!

Cheers,

Rosa

Anonymous said...

looks absolutely stunning Rosa..enjoy.

Finla said...

I have never made soda bread , it looks real rustic and yumm.

Maria♥ said...

Rosie, can you beleive I've still not ever made my own Soda Bread??!! I really need to get my act together and make one soon. Yours looks so good and perfect for St Paddy's Day!

Maria
x

Anne said...

Am drooling over your picture, the bread looks so delicious!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Sounds like a delicious way to enjoy the day Rosie with some of the cupcakes of the previous day on the side:D

Snooky doodle said...

what a wonderful looking bread! Happy St Patrick's day ;)

J.L. Danger said...

mmmmm homemade soda bread is a staple at our house! Yours looks so good I want some right now! Love it.

Katie said...

It looks wonderful Rosie. I really should make soda bread more often.

Simones Kitchen said...

It looks absolutely delicious! I haven't made many breads for some reason, but this one looks very tempting! Happy St Patrick's day!

How To Eat A Cupcake said...

I'm SUCH a procrastinator! I've just recently gotten into bread baking. I wanted to make soda bread for St. Pat's but... IT'S TOMORROW! If only I had more time! Lol I guess I could make it after St. Pat's and just call it belated... :)

Anonymous said...

I've never made Irish Soda Bread. Yours looks fantastic, Rosie! :)

Heather said...

What a beautifully risen loaf. I just adore Irish soda bread. A rewind to your Aphrodite Cupcakes - I would like to make them and include the recipe for the cake - will that be okay as long as I give credit to you and link to your blog? Best. Heather

Recipeswap said...

Perfect timing.......looks nice Rosie

A_and_N said...

Wow I've never tried soda bread before. This is certainly easier because you dont have to wait for your yeast to rise! Neat stuff :)

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home said...

Sounds great and easy. I'm a huge bread lover! I'll have to save this to try sometime.

Maggie said...

Rachel's book is good and as you say, everything turns out well.
The soda bread looks wonderful.

♥Rosie♥ said...

Thanks everyone for all your lovely comments and once again wishing you and yours a very Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Heather - I have left you a comment on your blog Re-- My Aphrodite Cupcakes - it would be such an honour for me if you baked my cupcakes. I would be grateful if you would give me credit for my recipe.

Best wishes to all my 'dear' friends Rosie x

Jersey Girl Cooks said...

Happy St Patty's day. Nice bread. Mine did not turn out well:(

American Homemaker said...

Your recipe is really simple like mine :)

Aparna Balasubramanian said...

I 've been seeing quite a few soad breads in foodie blogdom. And yours look gorgeous and light. I should try my hand at one some time.

Rachel said...

This is something I want to try real soon.

The Blonde Duck said...

I've never had soda bread. It looks so good though!

Ingrid_3Bs said...

I really need to make this. I'd have homemade bread for my family and be a hero to them.

Happy St. Paddy's Day!
~ingrid

dabrah said...

Sounds yummy!

Irene said...

This is a great bread! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Ivy said...

Happy St. Patrick's day. The bread sounds delicious. Hey Rosie we have the same cutting board (lol).

Cakelaw said...

Gorgeous bread Rosie - hope you had a lovely St Pats Day.

Donna said...

This looks Delicious...hot...with BUTTER!!Hahaa...hughugs

Nic said...

Nice looking crust there Rosie!

Maria said...

The bread looks so tasty! Hope you enjoyed the holiday!

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

I can taste it, smell it. Hot with butter... Delicious Rosie. Will now update my reader immediately!!

Elyse said...

Mmm, I love soda bread. This one looks especially fabulous. Saving this recipe!

Deborah said...

What a beautiful loaf of soda bread!

Caroline said...

This looks fab Rosie. I've made Soda Bread before, using Delia's recipe, so a wholewheat one, but this white one looks really good too - must give it a go soon!