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Growing up my mother would grind her own wheat, I remember the sound of the grinder in the pantry as she made a rich whole wheat flour that she would use to bake bread. I remember watching the dough bubble and expand; I never knew how lucky I was to grow up in a house where my mom baked bread. Those memories are really something special and the smell of the house and the sight of the seven kids in the kitchen; that is what family was really all about for me growing up. My mom made big batches of whole wheat bread slightly sweetened with honey, she would make pizza, cinnamon rolls, beignets, and sandwich loafs. I am almost sure there was never an occasion where the first loaf out of the oven was not gone before the other loafs were finished baking. This recipe is based on the one she used just scaled down a bit and tweaked to include some of my favorite flours. It produces a lovely golden loaf that has the perfect balance of sweet and salty. It really is perfection.
Bread bakers have a language all their own. Their recipes usually read more like a chemistry assignment and even I have to use a well-referenced cookbook to keep all the language straight. Trust me when I say that the serious bread bakers mean business and the results can’t be beaten. However, this recipe is written for every skill level and it is a great foundation for several yeast bread variations.
10 Grain Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients:
4 c. whole wheat flour (I have also used whole wheat pastry flour with good results)
3 c. warm water (if you have a thermometer it should be 110°)
3 c. ten grain flour
2 c. spelt flour
2/3 c. honey (divided in two)
2 packages active dry yeast (.25 ounces each)
4 tbl butter melted
1 tbl salt
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix warm water and 1/3 c. honey until dissolved, then add yeast, the ten grain and spelt flours, stir to combine. Let set covered for 30 minutes in a warm spot, or until big and bubbly.
2. Mix in the 3 melted butter, other 1/3 c. honey, salt, and 2 c. of the whole wheat flour.
3. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until the dough pulls away from the counter. It should still be a little sticky to the touch you do not want to over work the dough or add to much flour or it will stiffen up. (This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of flour.)
3. Run a little butter or light tasting oil around a very large bowl to coat the bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn once to coat the dough to prevent sticking. Cover with a dishtowel and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in size (about 2 hours).
4. Lightly punch the dough down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow the dough to rise again until the dough has topped the pans by one inch.
5. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes the bread should be a very light golden brown. Do not overbake or the bread will dry out! Remove from the oven and lightly brush the tops of loaves with a little softened butter and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Wait 10 minutes and remove from pans to cool completely.
Notes:
You can substitute bread flour or white flour for any of the above flour, I like the multigrain flavors but the recipe should work with other flours just fine. You could also add dried fruit and nuts to the dough during step 2 if you like (I have used a little cinnamon with raisins and walnuts before with great results.) You could also substitute the butter with olive oil and reduce the honey by half. Then throw in a little chopped herbs (rosemary and basil work well) for a more savory loaf. I have not experimented with cheeses in the dough though I think it would work well. You could either add shredded cheese to the dough in step 2 or incorporate chunks during step 4.
Showing posts with label Breads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Breads. Show all posts
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner or Dessert
It's always time for Popovers
Popovers are super versatile and while they can be a little tricky (my first batch were a little dense and flat) they can go so many places once you figure it out. I have used a basic recipe from David Lebovitz author of “Room for Dessert” and “The Great Book of Chocolate,” (his latest book, “The Sweet Life in Paris,” will be published in May) to make several variations including delectable savory popovers. You will definitely have the best result if you can get ahold of a popover pan (I found mine at target for $10) one pan makes 9 popovers and that was plenty for what I am doing if you plan to serve them for a larger group or a dinner party you may want two pans because they really are best fresh from the oven served quickly.
I will give you two versions of the recipe one sweet and one savory to give you an idea of how I use the popover base. Then I hope you will run amuck with this great quick bread discovery!
Sweet Popovers
Great for breakfast or dessert
Ingredients:
1 ½ c. whole wheat pastry flour *you could use all purpose flour or half whole wheat half all purpose if you can't find the whole wheat pastry flour
1 c. milk
½ c. almond milk *optional you could use all cows milk
¼ c. maple syrup *you could use brown sugar, honey, or agave syrup
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3 tbl butter, melted
2 tbl cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425° and grease popover pan with cooking spray or a little butter.
2. Mix milk, eggs, syrup, butter and salt until light a foamy; you can use a hand mixer or a blender.
3. Add the flour a little at a time and mix until smooth and bubbly.
4. Quickly pour the mix into the pan filling the cups 2/3 of the way full. They are going to bake up above the rim like puffy golden brown balloons so don't worry about how much goes in each cup.
5. Bake for 15 minutes at 425°, until the puffs are well above the rim of the pan then reduce heat to 350º and continue to bake for 20-25 min. The popovers should be a dark brown, if you take them out to early the centers will not be finished and they will fall inwards. Give them the full amount of time and resist the urge to remove to soon.
6. Remove from the oven, give them a quick minute to cool and remove them from the pan. Serve immediately!
Serving suggestions:
Brush with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar
Brush with butter drizzle with honey and serve with fresh fruit
Brush with butter and drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle with toasted candied nuts
Top with whipped cream and serve with fresh fruit or your favorite berry coulisse or syrup
Or you can serve them how I did in the pictures with a cream cheese lemon glaze and strawberries.
Cream cheese lemon glaze:
2/3 cup confectioner's sugar
2-3 large lemons juiced
4 tbl cream cheese
½ tsp vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients in a bowl with a hand mixer until a smooth glaze forms. You can adjust the thickness to suite your preferences by slightly altering the ratio of the cheese/ juice/sugar ratio.
Savory Popovers
Great for serving alongside dinner or lunch, I suspect they can replace many starches or grain side dishes.
Ingredients:
1 ½ c. whole wheat pastry flour *you could use all purpose flour or half whole wheat half all purpose if you can't find the whole wheat pastry flour
1 ½ c. milk
4 large cloves of garlic
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 small onion
¼ c. finely shredded hard cheese *I used an aged parmesan with black truffles
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh chopped herbs and fresh ground black pepper:
I used rosemary and thyme but you could use basil and oregano or any favorite savory combo.
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425° and grease popover pan with cooking spray or a little olive oil.
2. Smash the garlic cloves and roughly shop the onion, then gently heat them along with the olive oil in a skillet until fragrant. (Do not heat on too high of heat you just want to infuse the oil with lots of flavor.) Remove the oil from heat and let return to room temperature; remove the chucks of garlic and onion. If you are using dried herbs you might get a better result if you add them to the warm oil to help release their flavor.
2. Mix milk, eggs, infused oil and salt until light a foamy; you can use a hand mixer or a blender. If you are using a blender you could even through in a clove or two of the garlic and a few chunks of the onion.
3. Add the flour and cheese a little at a time and mix until smooth and bubbly.
4. Quickly pour the mix into the pan filling the cups 2/3 of the way full. They are going to bake up above the rim like puffy golden brown balloons so don't worry about how much goes in each cup.
5. Bake for 15 minutes at 425°, until the puffs are well above the rim of the pan then reduce heat to 350º and continue to bake for 20-25 min. The popovers should be a dark brown, if you take them out to early the centers will not be finished and they will fall inwards. Give them the full amount of time and resist the urge to remove to soon.
6. Remove from the oven, give them a quick minute to cool and remove them from the pan. Serve immediately!
Notes and Serving Suggestions:
You could use pan drippings from bacon instead of the oil and substitute some sharp cheddar for a breakfast version to serve alongside eggs.
You could use these in place of rolls at any meal.
I recently served mine under beef tips with a mushroom and red wine reduction alongside some grilled asparagus.
I could also see them as an accompaniment to soup or served with a few slices of cheese along with a salad.
Popovers are super versatile and while they can be a little tricky (my first batch were a little dense and flat) they can go so many places once you figure it out. I have used a basic recipe from David Lebovitz author of “Room for Dessert” and “The Great Book of Chocolate,” (his latest book, “The Sweet Life in Paris,” will be published in May) to make several variations including delectable savory popovers. You will definitely have the best result if you can get ahold of a popover pan (I found mine at target for $10) one pan makes 9 popovers and that was plenty for what I am doing if you plan to serve them for a larger group or a dinner party you may want two pans because they really are best fresh from the oven served quickly.
I will give you two versions of the recipe one sweet and one savory to give you an idea of how I use the popover base. Then I hope you will run amuck with this great quick bread discovery!
Sweet Popovers
Great for breakfast or dessert
Ingredients:
1 ½ c. whole wheat pastry flour *you could use all purpose flour or half whole wheat half all purpose if you can't find the whole wheat pastry flour
1 c. milk
½ c. almond milk *optional you could use all cows milk
¼ c. maple syrup *you could use brown sugar, honey, or agave syrup
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3 tbl butter, melted
2 tbl cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425° and grease popover pan with cooking spray or a little butter.
2. Mix milk, eggs, syrup, butter and salt until light a foamy; you can use a hand mixer or a blender.
3. Add the flour a little at a time and mix until smooth and bubbly.
4. Quickly pour the mix into the pan filling the cups 2/3 of the way full. They are going to bake up above the rim like puffy golden brown balloons so don't worry about how much goes in each cup.
5. Bake for 15 minutes at 425°, until the puffs are well above the rim of the pan then reduce heat to 350º and continue to bake for 20-25 min. The popovers should be a dark brown, if you take them out to early the centers will not be finished and they will fall inwards. Give them the full amount of time and resist the urge to remove to soon.
6. Remove from the oven, give them a quick minute to cool and remove them from the pan. Serve immediately!
Serving suggestions:
Brush with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar
Brush with butter drizzle with honey and serve with fresh fruit
Brush with butter and drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle with toasted candied nuts
Top with whipped cream and serve with fresh fruit or your favorite berry coulisse or syrup
Or you can serve them how I did in the pictures with a cream cheese lemon glaze and strawberries.
Cream cheese lemon glaze:
2/3 cup confectioner's sugar
2-3 large lemons juiced
4 tbl cream cheese
½ tsp vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients in a bowl with a hand mixer until a smooth glaze forms. You can adjust the thickness to suite your preferences by slightly altering the ratio of the cheese/ juice/sugar ratio.
Savory Popovers
Great for serving alongside dinner or lunch, I suspect they can replace many starches or grain side dishes.
Ingredients:
1 ½ c. whole wheat pastry flour *you could use all purpose flour or half whole wheat half all purpose if you can't find the whole wheat pastry flour
1 ½ c. milk
4 large cloves of garlic
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 small onion
¼ c. finely shredded hard cheese *I used an aged parmesan with black truffles
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh chopped herbs and fresh ground black pepper:
I used rosemary and thyme but you could use basil and oregano or any favorite savory combo.
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425° and grease popover pan with cooking spray or a little olive oil.
2. Smash the garlic cloves and roughly shop the onion, then gently heat them along with the olive oil in a skillet until fragrant. (Do not heat on too high of heat you just want to infuse the oil with lots of flavor.) Remove the oil from heat and let return to room temperature; remove the chucks of garlic and onion. If you are using dried herbs you might get a better result if you add them to the warm oil to help release their flavor.
2. Mix milk, eggs, infused oil and salt until light a foamy; you can use a hand mixer or a blender. If you are using a blender you could even through in a clove or two of the garlic and a few chunks of the onion.
3. Add the flour and cheese a little at a time and mix until smooth and bubbly.
4. Quickly pour the mix into the pan filling the cups 2/3 of the way full. They are going to bake up above the rim like puffy golden brown balloons so don't worry about how much goes in each cup.
5. Bake for 15 minutes at 425°, until the puffs are well above the rim of the pan then reduce heat to 350º and continue to bake for 20-25 min. The popovers should be a dark brown, if you take them out to early the centers will not be finished and they will fall inwards. Give them the full amount of time and resist the urge to remove to soon.
6. Remove from the oven, give them a quick minute to cool and remove them from the pan. Serve immediately!
Notes and Serving Suggestions:
You could use pan drippings from bacon instead of the oil and substitute some sharp cheddar for a breakfast version to serve alongside eggs.
You could use these in place of rolls at any meal.
I recently served mine under beef tips with a mushroom and red wine reduction alongside some grilled asparagus.
I could also see them as an accompaniment to soup or served with a few slices of cheese along with a salad.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Traditional Herb Rubbed Hens
Accompanied by the most amazing pan toast!
Those of you who have never given the pan drippings of roasted foul a second thought this post may change your universe. I for one, had never been a huge fan of gravy from chicken but I usually used the pan drippings for stock bases and other recipes. Now I am a total convert to "pan" toast. The first time I tried this method of roasting I shamelessly burnt two of the toasts and yet I ate them regardless of the blackened appearance. I couldn't help myself one piece was just not enough; I had to have more. This is coming from the girl who has here toaster permanently set to light; but there I was eating the most glorious toast burnt and all. Since then I have made a few cooking adjustments and now my "pan" toast in the perfect incarnation of savory, golden, crispy, heaven. I can not tell you in any amount of words how easy and how amazing this method is, you will just have to take my word for it and try it yourselves.
I like to use Cornish Game Hens but any whole bird would be fine.
Ingredients:
2 cornish game hens
4 slices of hearty bread *I use ½ inch thick slices of rustic bread that may be a little stale
1 small lemon
1 small onion
½ head of garlic about 6 cloves total
½ c. extra virgin olive oil
Fresh ground pepper
Fresh thyme
Fresh rosemary
Sea salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°
Pat your birds dry with a paper towel
Rub inside and out with olive oil
Peel and smash garlic cloves (you could roughly chop them if you prefer)
Slice lemon in halve and onion in quarters
Stuff birds with one half the lemon in each along with the garlic, onion and some bunches of fresh thyme and rosemary.
Rub the outside of the birds with fresh pepper and sea salt, along with some pieces of thyme and rosemary.
Place the sliced bread in a roasting pan in a single layer drizzle with a little olive oil and with as little or as much of the spice/herb mixture as you like. *I usually just go with a little salt and pepper.
Place birds directly on top of the bread, you want to completely cover the bread.
Place in oven uncovered for about 1 hour and 10 minutes until birds are deeply golden brown.
Remove from oven and let rest for 10 min before carving.
Notes:
The toast will not be soggy I promise! You will have to worry about burning them to a crisp before you worry about mushy toast. I have no idea why this works only that it does and the flavor of the toast is unbeatable. Serve these little hens with the pan toast and some fresh steamed greens and you will get people begging on their knees for your secret to the most amazing toast ever. (The secret of which is to cover the toast with the birds to avoid the burning if I haven't made that totally clear.) I also save all of the stuff from the inside of the birds for use in stock later in the week.
With Love
Brittney
Those of you who have never given the pan drippings of roasted foul a second thought this post may change your universe. I for one, had never been a huge fan of gravy from chicken but I usually used the pan drippings for stock bases and other recipes. Now I am a total convert to "pan" toast. The first time I tried this method of roasting I shamelessly burnt two of the toasts and yet I ate them regardless of the blackened appearance. I couldn't help myself one piece was just not enough; I had to have more. This is coming from the girl who has here toaster permanently set to light; but there I was eating the most glorious toast burnt and all. Since then I have made a few cooking adjustments and now my "pan" toast in the perfect incarnation of savory, golden, crispy, heaven. I can not tell you in any amount of words how easy and how amazing this method is, you will just have to take my word for it and try it yourselves.
I like to use Cornish Game Hens but any whole bird would be fine.
Ingredients:
2 cornish game hens
4 slices of hearty bread *I use ½ inch thick slices of rustic bread that may be a little stale
1 small lemon
1 small onion
½ head of garlic about 6 cloves total
½ c. extra virgin olive oil
Fresh ground pepper
Fresh thyme
Fresh rosemary
Sea salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°
Pat your birds dry with a paper towel
Rub inside and out with olive oil
Peel and smash garlic cloves (you could roughly chop them if you prefer)
Slice lemon in halve and onion in quarters
Stuff birds with one half the lemon in each along with the garlic, onion and some bunches of fresh thyme and rosemary.
Rub the outside of the birds with fresh pepper and sea salt, along with some pieces of thyme and rosemary.
Place the sliced bread in a roasting pan in a single layer drizzle with a little olive oil and with as little or as much of the spice/herb mixture as you like. *I usually just go with a little salt and pepper.
Place birds directly on top of the bread, you want to completely cover the bread.
Place in oven uncovered for about 1 hour and 10 minutes until birds are deeply golden brown.
Remove from oven and let rest for 10 min before carving.
Notes:
The toast will not be soggy I promise! You will have to worry about burning them to a crisp before you worry about mushy toast. I have no idea why this works only that it does and the flavor of the toast is unbeatable. Serve these little hens with the pan toast and some fresh steamed greens and you will get people begging on their knees for your secret to the most amazing toast ever. (The secret of which is to cover the toast with the birds to avoid the burning if I haven't made that totally clear.) I also save all of the stuff from the inside of the birds for use in stock later in the week.
With Love
Brittney
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Savory Bread Pudding
This past Friday I took Chris out for his 25th birthday. We went to a wine concept restaurant, Vinology. Chris ordered the braised short ribs for his main course, which was served with a delicious savory bread pudding. However, we both felt that the parsley pistou over the top was a bit overpowering for the light creamy texture of the bread pudding. I did a little research and stitched together a couple of different recipes to come up with my own version. I had never tried my hand at a savory bread pudding but I quickly realized it is almost foolproof. This is a great alternative to other more starchy sides or can be a vegetarian main dish loaded up with veggies. I am a big fan of making it your own and encourage you to experiment with all kinds of things thrown in.Ingredients:
Loaf of Challah (I had some left over from a great Jewish bakery)
6-8 Large Eggs
¼ c. Milk
½ c. Stock (chicken, beef, or veggie)
½ c. Cheese (parmesan or other firm salty cheese)
1 Red onion diced
3 Cloves of garlic minced
Olive oil
Season to taste with:
Fresh thyme
Fresh basil
Fresh parsley
Cracked black pepper
Coarse sea salt
*Optional
1 bunch of greens (kale, spinach or swiss chard)
Asparagus
Peas
Mushrooms
Directions:
Turn on broiler
1. Roughly cut the bread into cubes for toasting, drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper toss and spread on baking sheet. Broil until toasted and golden brown.
2. Beat eggs, milk, and savory spices together to make the custard, (about 1 min.) until it is light and fluffy.
3. Sauté onions and garlic in couple of tablespoons of the olive oil until just golden brown.
Preheat oven to 400
4. Lightly oil baking dish (I used a medium caserol dish, make sure dish is deep enough to accomodate all of the bread with room for a bit of puff from the egg mixture) with olive oil and toss toast, spinach, and cheese together. Mix custard and cooled savory sauté, pour over other ingredients in baking dish. Bake for 30 min. or until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Notes:
Serve with hearty meats with gravy as an alternative to mashed potatoes, or smothered with bacon and sautéed green onions for a light savory breakfast the next day.
makes
Monday, March 16, 2009
A to Zingerman's, an intro....
Zingerman's Deli
http://www.zingermansdeli.com/
Ann Arbor Michigan
Zingerman's is a treasure to be sure. The founders Ari and Paul along with their incredible partners and staff live and share many of my own beliefs about food. They are heavy hitters when it comes to sources or simply producing the highest quality foods possible. They do everything the old fashioned way, the way it was done 100 years ago when everything was natural and slow and full flavored. Ari was explaining the secret of their success and it went something like this, "it's not really a secret we just do things the traditional way, we didn't have to invent it we just had to rediscover it. We do what everyone knows they should but no one else takes the time or energy." They have been recognized time and again for their incredible efforts in the both the food and business world for bringing unsurpassed quality to their customers.
I must admit every time I walk through those doors I instantly feel a little better about everything and when it is time to leave I always think about giving my two weeks notice to my desk job and applying for anything at Zingerman's (even dishwasher if they would have me). Chris and I frequent a Zing property (there are several) at least once a month for a full blown fix and I stop in whenever I need some truly amazing ingredients. Recently I purchased a fantastic black truffle oil, some Humboldt Fog cheese, and some amazing cocoa powder just to name a few. You will be seeing a lot of these guys on my blog.
I am excited to become more involved with the traditions surrounding this incredible group of people. They offer regular tastings and classes covering a wide variety of foods and topics. They can be a little pricy but well worth every dollar. Right now I am in a total crisis trying to plan out which events to attend. There is just no way to communicate through words the magic of the Zingerman's experience.
If you live in the area, or within 100 miles, take a trip and go indulge!
With love,
Brittney
http://www.zingermansdeli.com/
Ann Arbor Michigan
Zingerman's is a treasure to be sure. The founders Ari and Paul along with their incredible partners and staff live and share many of my own beliefs about food. They are heavy hitters when it comes to sources or simply producing the highest quality foods possible. They do everything the old fashioned way, the way it was done 100 years ago when everything was natural and slow and full flavored. Ari was explaining the secret of their success and it went something like this, "it's not really a secret we just do things the traditional way, we didn't have to invent it we just had to rediscover it. We do what everyone knows they should but no one else takes the time or energy." They have been recognized time and again for their incredible efforts in the both the food and business world for bringing unsurpassed quality to their customers.
I must admit every time I walk through those doors I instantly feel a little better about everything and when it is time to leave I always think about giving my two weeks notice to my desk job and applying for anything at Zingerman's (even dishwasher if they would have me). Chris and I frequent a Zing property (there are several) at least once a month for a full blown fix and I stop in whenever I need some truly amazing ingredients. Recently I purchased a fantastic black truffle oil, some Humboldt Fog cheese, and some amazing cocoa powder just to name a few. You will be seeing a lot of these guys on my blog.
I am excited to become more involved with the traditions surrounding this incredible group of people. They offer regular tastings and classes covering a wide variety of foods and topics. They can be a little pricy but well worth every dollar. Right now I am in a total crisis trying to plan out which events to attend. There is just no way to communicate through words the magic of the Zingerman's experience.
If you live in the area, or within 100 miles, take a trip and go indulge!
With love,
Brittney
Vinology
Vinology
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Vinology is a great restaurant in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor and it is the place to find a glass of wine perfectly paired with the beautiful food from a well balanced menu. The menu is printed on a regular basis to ensure the use of the freshest seasonal ingredients and thus the experience is ever changing. They serve over 50 wines by the glass and their menu is complete with a suggested pairing for every item. The wait staff is friendly and knowledgeable about the wine selection and is happy to make suggestions for alternative pairings. The food was delicate in nature with layers of subtle flavor.
Chris and I went here on Friday for a beautiful meal and to celebrate life a little bit. We each indulged in a different appetizer and main along with some fantastic wines. We then shared a little desert, which was the perfect ending. I will give you all the food details later, suffice to say I will be recreating their cous cous and bread pudding at home in the near future.
http://www.vinologyrestaurant.com/
Best wishes,
Brittney
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Vinology is a great restaurant in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor and it is the place to find a glass of wine perfectly paired with the beautiful food from a well balanced menu. The menu is printed on a regular basis to ensure the use of the freshest seasonal ingredients and thus the experience is ever changing. They serve over 50 wines by the glass and their menu is complete with a suggested pairing for every item. The wait staff is friendly and knowledgeable about the wine selection and is happy to make suggestions for alternative pairings. The food was delicate in nature with layers of subtle flavor.
Chris and I went here on Friday for a beautiful meal and to celebrate life a little bit. We each indulged in a different appetizer and main along with some fantastic wines. We then shared a little desert, which was the perfect ending. I will give you all the food details later, suffice to say I will be recreating their cous cous and bread pudding at home in the near future.
http://www.vinologyrestaurant.com/
Best wishes,
Brittney
Monday, March 9, 2009
Hearty Irish Soda Bread
Hearty Irish Soda Bread
This weekend I set about making some of my favorite comfort foods. It had been a long week at work and I felt the need to bake. With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner I ended up with an old favorite Irish Soda Bread. There to seal the deal was my boyfriend, Chris, who had never had this wonderful brown bread before. I had thought to serve it with some delicious soup and sandwiches; however it was quick to disappear. We ended up enjoying it with butter hot out of the pan and then the next morning toasted along with jam and eggs.
Irish Soda Bread is what is known as a quick bread. Quick breads usually use baking soda or baking powder as leavener instead of yeast (which usually takes a couple hours to rise). This ingredient distinction is what gives this bread its name. It is a quick and easy option for beginners and will turn out warm, hearty, whole wheat bread. This bread is amazing for corned beef sandwiches, served alongside soups and stews, or on its own hot out of the oven with a slather of butter. The following recipe is based on one from a favorite foodie of mine Heidi, from 101 cookbooks. I have made several changes making this bread a full flavored twist on her original basic version.
4 cups coarse whole wheat flour
*2 cups spelt flour
2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 ½ cups buttermilk
2 tbs. salted butter
2 eggs
¼ cup flax seed (optional)
Oatmeal, seeds, nuts, coarse sea salt (optional)
*Spelt flour is nice and it adds a little to the texture and nutritional value of the bread but you can use all whole wheat flour or a combination of your favorite flours to achieve the texture/color you want.
Use a medium sized bowl and beat the eggs buttermilk and butter (softened) until light and golden in color, it should take about 30 seconds, do not over mix.
In another bowl combine dry ingredients, including flax if using, and be sure to break up any clumps.
Mix in the beaten buttermilk until a batter is formed.
If cooking in traditional loaf pans you will want to stop when the batter is thick but still very wet so you can pour it into the pan. Pour batter into one standard 9x5 in. loaf pan or two mini loaf pans. Dust with oatmeal, seeds, or maybe coarse sea salt! Bake on center rack at 400° for about 50 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick in center comes out clean.
* If cooking as a free standing round reduce buttermilk by ½ cup and stir in wet ingredients until a sticky dough forms. Dust with additional flower and other ingredients if desired and shape into a round. Bake on parchment paper lined baking sheet on center rack at 350° for about 60 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick in center comes out clean.
Makes 1 loaf
This weekend I set about making some of my favorite comfort foods. It had been a long week at work and I felt the need to bake. With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner I ended up with an old favorite Irish Soda Bread. There to seal the deal was my boyfriend, Chris, who had never had this wonderful brown bread before. I had thought to serve it with some delicious soup and sandwiches; however it was quick to disappear. We ended up enjoying it with butter hot out of the pan and then the next morning toasted along with jam and eggs.
Irish Soda Bread is what is known as a quick bread. Quick breads usually use baking soda or baking powder as leavener instead of yeast (which usually takes a couple hours to rise). This ingredient distinction is what gives this bread its name. It is a quick and easy option for beginners and will turn out warm, hearty, whole wheat bread. This bread is amazing for corned beef sandwiches, served alongside soups and stews, or on its own hot out of the oven with a slather of butter. The following recipe is based on one from a favorite foodie of mine Heidi, from 101 cookbooks. I have made several changes making this bread a full flavored twist on her original basic version.
4 cups coarse whole wheat flour
*2 cups spelt flour
2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 ½ cups buttermilk
2 tbs. salted butter
2 eggs
¼ cup flax seed (optional)
Oatmeal, seeds, nuts, coarse sea salt (optional)
*Spelt flour is nice and it adds a little to the texture and nutritional value of the bread but you can use all whole wheat flour or a combination of your favorite flours to achieve the texture/color you want.
Use a medium sized bowl and beat the eggs buttermilk and butter (softened) until light and golden in color, it should take about 30 seconds, do not over mix.
In another bowl combine dry ingredients, including flax if using, and be sure to break up any clumps.
Mix in the beaten buttermilk until a batter is formed.
If cooking in traditional loaf pans you will want to stop when the batter is thick but still very wet so you can pour it into the pan. Pour batter into one standard 9x5 in. loaf pan or two mini loaf pans. Dust with oatmeal, seeds, or maybe coarse sea salt! Bake on center rack at 400° for about 50 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick in center comes out clean.
* If cooking as a free standing round reduce buttermilk by ½ cup and stir in wet ingredients until a sticky dough forms. Dust with additional flower and other ingredients if desired and shape into a round. Bake on parchment paper lined baking sheet on center rack at 350° for about 60 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick in center comes out clean.
Makes 1 loaf
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