Hanging upside down to kiss the Blarney Stone.
Irish passing "lanes" and the resulting gray hairs.
Bunratty and the realization we could never drink an Irishman under the table.
And the soda bread that we'd buy nearly every day to snack on while we drove down country lanes and across rolling green hills. We ate it with local cheddar, sharp enough to make our mouths water. We smeared it with black currant jam that dripped off the sides, making our hands sticky and our stomachs full. It was no wonder that, when we returned home, it was with pants fitting a little too tight.
I've looked for a long time to find the Irish Soda Bread of our trip. Every year, I buy loaves around St. Patrick's Day and am disappointed in their sweetness. Filled with raisins and caraway seeds, they taste delicious but the're not The Bread.
So, I decided to make my own.
Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe
4 cups flour (You could split this up and use wheat flour, but I didn't have any on hand, so, white it is.)
1 tsp. baking soda1 tsp salt
1 3/4 c. buttermilk
Step 1. Preheat oven to 400.
Step 2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add the buttermilk until you get a soft, sticky dough. You might not need all the buttermilk, so seriously...for the love of loaves, do not dump the milk in.
Step 3. Mix everything together and then turn the ball of dough onto a floured surface and lightly knead. I took this to mean a quick one-two-three knead. Nothing too serious. Less deep tissue massage, more Swedish. FYI - Your dough will be very, very sticky, so flour your hands first.
Step 4. Shape into a roundish loaf and mark an "X" through the middle. Now here's where things get tricky. Some of the recipes I looked through said to put it in the oven with another cake pan on top. Others simply said put in in the oven. So, since I didn't have two equal size cake pans, I just popped it on a baking stone and put it in the oven.
Step 5. Bake 15 minutes.
Step 6. Reduce heat to 375 and bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Step 7. Remove from oven and let cool. Then, slice yourself a thick hunk and slather that sucker with butter and jam.
Enjoy!
15 comments:
Yum. Yum. Yum. My mom used to make this when I was a kid, usually for the "Heritage Days" at my elementary school or Girl Scouts. Haven't had it in YEARS, but I think I might make some this weekend!
I think I'm going to make this over the weekend. Yum!
It was so easy and oh-so-delicious.
I bet it would taste delish with a breakfast of fresh eggs. :)
I'm gonna make this when I get to Arkansas to hang out with my dad!! He's gonna be so impressed! Thanks, Mandy!
Ooo! When are you going to Arkansas? Be sure to bring a jar of homemade jam and totally knock him for a loop.
It is 1 am- I am not supposed to be so hungry at this time of day. I am afraid that I am going to have to blame you. ;)
You had me a think hunk. twss
I love bread!! LOVE.
Yummmmmmm!!
Sounds Great!!! I can't wait to try and make it.
It was super good. The kids and Chad ate the whole loaf by the next morning. From the spoon and jam jar in the sink, I gather they split the loaf three ways and ate it with a jar of jam.
It was beyond delish. I was out of honey, but let's just say it screamed for it.
In related news...buying honey this week!
LOL
It's my downfall. Every. Single. Time.
Sorry about that. Of course, I'm responding so late that you're probably not hungry any more.
Unless you re-read the post because you have no clue as to what I'm talking about. :D
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