Macombs Irish Soda Bread Recipes

TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk. Using your hand, mix in the flour from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be soft but not wet and sticky.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface. Wash and dry your hands. Knead the dough lightly for a few seconds, then pat the dough into a round about 1 1/2 inches thick. Place it on a buttered baking sheet and using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross in the center of the dough reaching out all the way to the sides.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees, and continue to bake until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the bread sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes longer. Serve warm.

TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Brush a baking sheet with melted butter or spray with non-stick spray.
• Combine dry ingredients in a deep bowl. Gradually stir in 1 cup buttermilk, beating constantly, until dough is firm enough to be gathered into a ball. If dough crumbles, add up to 1/2 cup more buttermilk, 1 tbsp at a time, until it holds together.
• Place on a lightly floured board and pat into an 8-inch flattened round loaf.
• Place loaf on baking sheet and slash a 1/2-inch deep "X" into the top of the dough with a small, sharp knife.
• Bake at 425 degrees F for about 45 minutes, or until the top is golden.
• Serve hot.

AUTHENTIC IRISH SODA BREAD (BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• Process all ingredients in your bread machine set on the dough cycle.
• Remove from bread machine, punch down, cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Prepare a baking sheet (I cover it with parchment paper). Punch the dough down, and shape it into an 8-inch circle, slightly flattened. Cover with wax paper, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375°F Slash the top of the dough with a large X. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 and continue to bake for 15 more minutes.
• Don't forget leftovers, if any, are great for sandwiches.

MACOMB'S IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, caraway seeds, baking powder, salt, and baking soda until the mixture is well combined. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the sour cream. Gently stir the sour cream mixture into the flour mixture until the dough just comes together; mix in raisins. Spoon the dough into the prepared springform pan.
• Bake until the bread has risen and the top is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the bread should come out clean. Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes before attempting to loosen the sides of the pan for removal. Cut into wedges and serve warm.

IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C and dust a baking sheet with flour. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then rub in the butter. Pour in the buttermilk and mix it in quickly with a table knife, then bring the dough together very lightly with your fingertips (handle it very, very gently). Now shape it into a flat, round loaf measuring 20cm/8in in diameter.
• Put the loaf on the baking sheet and score a deep cross in the top. (Traditionally, this lets the fairies out, but it also helps the bread to cook through.) Bake for 30-35 minutes until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. If it isn't ready after this time, turn it upside down on the baking sheet and bake for a few minutes more.
• Transfer to a wire rack, cover with a clean tea towel (this keeps the crust nice and soft) and leave to cool. To serve, break into quarters, then break or cut each quarter in half to make 8 wedges or slices - or simply slice across. Eat very fresh.

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.

IRISH SODA BREAD (BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• Combine according to your manufacturer's directions.
• Success Hints: Golden raisins give this bread its light flavor and look.
• Dark raisins may be subsituted but will make a darker, slightly heavier loaf.
• The sugar in the raisins creates a darker crust; use your machine's"light crust setting" if it has one.
• Dried butter milk can generally be found in the baking goods section of your supermarket.
• If you can't find buttermilk, regular dried milk can be substituted.
• If using delayed time bake, place raisins atop dry ingredients away from liquid.
• This recipe can be made using the regular, rapid and delayed time bake cycles.

IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• 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.