Basic Irish Soda Bread With Cheese Recipes

AMAZINGLY EASY IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
• In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an 'X' into the top of the loaf.
• Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Check for doneness after 30 minutes. You may continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.

CHEESE AND HERB IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/360ºF and line a Dutch oven/cast iron pot with baking/parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
• Whisk an egg into the buttermilk and pour into the dry ingredients.
• Mix the dough until it just starts to come together (there will be large lumps) then add the cheese and herbs.
• Continue mixing until the dough just comes together. The dough will be sticky and shaggy looking (not too smooth or else it will be over-mixed).
• Transfer to the prepared pot then score a cross onto the top with a sharp knife. Cover with the lid and place in the pre-heated oven.
• Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the bread is cooked through. It will sound hollow when knocked on the bottom and a skewers inserted will come out clean.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving with butter.

IRISH CHEDDAR SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Toss in the cold butter. Using a pastry cutter or two butter knives, "cut" the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture is crumbly, with some pea-size clumps of butter within. Mix in the cheese.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and the egg. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is just moistened. Do not overmix.
• Transfer the sticky dough to the prepared pan. Dust your hands with flour and press the dough to the edges of the pan. Bake the bread for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool. Cut into wedges and serve warm with softened butter.
• Note: If you'd like to make your own buttermilk, check out the easy method here.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once it's completely cooled, wrap it securely in plastic wrap and place in the freezer. To reheat, wrap the bread in aluminum foil and warm it in a 350°F oven until hot.

BASIC IRISH SODA BREAD WITH CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat eggs in a bowl and set aside. Place the Parmesan cheese into a shallow bowl.
• In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, and baking soda until well combined. Add in milk, several tablespoons at a time, until the mixture forms a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface, and knead several times until the dough comes together.
• Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick, and cut into 2x3-inch squares. Brush each square with beaten egg, and dip the top of the square into the Parmesan cheese. Place the squares onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the squares are lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Place the flour, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
• Add about 1 1/4 cups of the buttermilk to the flour mixture, working it into a shaggy dough with clean hands.
• If the dough seems too dry, add more buttermilk until a sticky dough is formed.
• Knead the dough a few times (being careful not to overwork it), then transfer it to a baking sheet and pat it to a thickness of about 1 1/2-inches.
• Score the dough in a criss-cross pattern with a floured knife, and puncture each of the 4 quarters with the tip of the knife.
• Bake the soda bread for 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then turn the oven temperature down to 400 degrees and bake for another 25 minutes.
• Turn the bread upside down and continue to bake at 400 degrees for another 5 minutes.
• Tap the loaf with your fingertips- it should make a hollow sound and be golden brown and crusty.

GARLIC CHEDDAR IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425.
• Mince the garlic and herbs.
• In a small bowl, add in the dry ingredients (all purpose flour, baking soda + powder, salt, pepper and sugar) and whisk until combined. Add in the cheddar cheese, fresh herbs and garlic and stir in to combine.
• Add in the slices of cold salted butter and cut in using pastry cutter until it's fully combined. If you don't have a pastry cutter, use your hands. The end result should be pea-like crumbles. See photo above in blog for reference.
• To this, add in the butter milk and stir until a dough is formed. If needed, add more flour to be able to shape the dough.
• Spray cast iron skillet with non-stick cooking spray and add the dough directly to the 10 inch cast iron skillet. Add an X pattern in the middle with a sharp knife. Brush lightly with buttermilk.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and it comes out clean. Let cool for several minutes before you remove it from the skillet and slice. Serve warm with butter. Enjoy!
• Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for 1-2 days.