Raisin Currant Bread Recipes

WELSH CURRANT RAISIN BREAD BARA BRITH (MADE WITH YEAST)

Steps:

• Put 8 cups of the flour in a mixing bowl and let it stand in a warm place for a short while. Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles meal, add the currants, raisins candied fruit peel, nutmeg or allspice, salt and all of the brown sugar but 1 teaspoon of the brown sugar. Mix thoroughly.
• In a smaller bowl cream the fresh yeast with the 1 teaspoons of brown sugar and blend the yeast mixture with the milk.
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour the yeast mixture into it and sprinkle a little additional flour over the yeast mixture. Cover the dough and let it stand in a warm place for a few minutes, until it is just beginning to rise. Pour the beaten eggs into the bowl and proceed to knead gradually adding the 1 1/2 cups tepid water mixed with the molasses. This should be a soft dough. Knead about 10 minutes.
• Cover the bowl with a cloth and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours, or until it has doubled in bulk. Then turn the dough out onto a well floured board, divide it in half and put it into two well buttered 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pans. Let the loaves rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until they have nearly risen to the rims of the pans.
• Bake the loaves in a preheated 350°F oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, so that the tops are browned and loaves sound hollow when rapped.
• Welsh Fare S. Minwel Tibbott.

EASY IRISH SODA BREAD WITH CURRANTS

Steps:

• Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl.
• Add dried currants and mix with a wooden spoon.
• Add the buttermilk and mix with a wooden spoon until it forms a sticky dough. If the dough is overly sticky, add a little more flour.
• Knead dough a few times in the mixing bowl or on a floured surface until it forms a round loaf. It will start out sticky and crumbly but after you knead it a few times, the dough will come together.
• Shape dough into a round and place in a Dutch oven with a lid.
• Cut two criss-cross slices into the top of the bread with a knife (see photo above). Brush the leftover buttermilk over the top of the bread.
• Bake covered for 30 minutes at 425F/215C and then about 15 minutes uncovered. The bread is done when golden brown and the internal temp is 180F/82C.
• Let bread cool on a wire rack. Place a couple pats of butter over the bread and let them melt as the bread cools.

RAISIN-CURRANT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease 2 loaf pans, line with parchment and regrease.
• Sift the first 6 ingredients into a large bowl and set aside. Place raisins and currants into a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the sifted mixture. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.
• Make a well in the center of the sifted ingredients and pour in the egg-milk mixture. Sprinkle with the raisins and currants. Mix with a wooden spoon until just blended. Pour the batter into the pans and bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pans for 5 minutes, then invert onto a rack and cool to room temperature.

IRISH BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch cast iron skillet.
• Pour hot water over raisins and currants in a bowl and let soak. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl until well combined; whisk in buttermilk.
• Drain raisins and currants and pat dry with paper towels; fold into dough. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and knead gently until it holds its shape; if dough is too sticky, knead in more flour. Form into a round and place into prepared cast iron skillet. Use a sharp knife to cut a cross into the top of the loaf.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and a slender knife inserted into the loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour.