Amazingly Easy Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

1 h 5 m 20 servings 172 cals

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup margarine, softened
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 egg

Directions

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.

Cheesy Guinness Bread

Ingredients

  • 1 large boule of bread
  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives
  • 1/3 c. Guinness
  • 2 1/2 c. shredded sharp Cheddar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a serrated knife, crosshatch the boule, making slices every inch around the loaf in both directions.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together melted butter, garlic, and chives. Brush entire boule with butter, being sure to get into crevices.
  3. Pour Guinness between crevices.
  4. Stuff crevices with cheddar and wrap completely in foil.
  5. Bake for 20 minutes, then unwrap foil and bake 10 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Cheese Bread

Ingredients

  • 2 cups finely grated fresh Parmesan (or Pecorino Romano)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 1/4 cups sour manioc starch (povilho azedo)
  • 3/4 cup manioc starch (povilho doce)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup, plus 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • pinch of ground nutmeg
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • pinch of black pepper

Preparation

1 Place the grated Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor. Add the eggs and yolks and blend until you have a smooth paste, about 1 minute. Set aside.

2 Place the two starches and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Set aside.

3 Place the milk, water, and oil in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Immediately pour the milk mixture all at once into the starch mixture and turn the machine on at low speed. Mix until the dough is smooth and the starch is all incorporated, about 2 minutes.

4 Pause the machine and add the cheese and egg paste, scraping directly into the manioc starch mixture. Add the nutmeg, cayenne, and black pepper. Mix the dough at low speed until it turns a pale yellow, about 10 minutes. You are trying to develop the structure of the dough by kneading it slowly. The dough will feel a bit sticky and moist.

5 Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator, or overnight.

6 Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

7 Wet your hands with olive oil (alternatively, you can flour your hands with manioc starch) and use an ice-cream scooper as portion control to make 1-inch balls, rolling them with your hands. Place them on the baking sheet, leaving 1 1/2 to 2 inches between each roll (or you can freeze them at this point by storing them in a ziplock bag for up to 3 months).