Irish Soda Bread!

Irish Soda Bread
(File Photo)

It's Irish Soda Bread time of year!  The bread enjoyed during St. Patrick's Day week that's loaded with Raisins!  I make it using 1 stick of Butter & 1 cup of Buttermilk!  What a great treat and it's so easy!  Really!  Surprise your family this year if you never have before by baking this yummy bread!  No need to purchase one.

Another name for this tasty bread is Spotted Dog.  Every year at this time I now share my very happy memory of me locating this recipe. In my fridge was an opened container of Buttermilk.  I was googling for an Irish Soda Bread recipe & located a blog, Charli and Me written by Carol.  Much to my happiness I saw what I had been searching for.

Originally the recipe is from the Will O'Glenn Irish Bed and Breakfast in Michigan with Mrs. Biddy Gahan sharing it.  Carol then shared it on her blog.  Every year at this time the low fat Buttermilk & unsalted Butter are in my fridge- waiting, along with a canister of Raisins in my pantry.  

Below are a few hints that I've learned to bake a great Irish Soda Bread:

• One year I was working too quickly & melted the Butter in error.  After it cooled, I added the melted/ cooled Butter to the dry ingredients and discovered that the dough was easier to work with.  Now I always melt/ cool the Butter.

•  I have a gas oven and my baking time is 10- 15 minutes more than the original recipe.  The extra time is included in my recipe below.

• Before working with the dough by hand rub a little butter on your hands.  The sticky dough will not stick to your hands. 

 

Irish Soda Bread ready for oven!
(File Photo)

 
Irish Soda Bread
Oven:  400°F, then lowered to 375°F
Total baking time:  40- 45 Minutes

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 Cups Raisins
1 Cup boiling Water
*  *  *
1 stick Butter - I use unsalted.
2 and 1/2 Cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
5 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Cup Buttermilk, can be low fat/fat free

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Spray a 8" or 9 " Pyrex Pie Plate with PAM.
3. In a small bowl combine Raisins and boiling Water.  Let sit while preparing dough.
4. Melt Butter.  Cool.
5. In larger bowl, combine Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder & Sugar.
6. Add melted Butter to dry ingredients, stir in.
7. Add Buttermilk, stir.
8. Add drained Raisins, stir.
9. Shape into a ball after placing dough into pie plate.  Dough will be sticky.
10. Bake 15 Minutes at 400°F.
11. Lower oven to 375°F.  Bake 25- 30 Minutes longer.
12. Remove the bread from pie plate after using cake tester or toothpick to test for done and cool on rack.
13. Cool. 
14. Wait at least 5 hours before cutting into slices and eating.

After cutting the bread into slices, I then place it in two sealed Ziploc Bags.  A half slice of Irish Soda Bread is a very tasty treat.  Heated for a few seconds in the microwave is oh, so good, too!

The extra slices do freeze well.  It's always a great treat to find a package in the freezer the following week!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!       

~Irish Soda Bread~

Irish Soda Bread (File Photo)

March 17 is approaching!  This week an important item on my grocery list is Fat Free Buttermilk.  Best to purchase another container of Raisins, also!  On Saturday Irish Soda Bread will find its place in my oven.

Every year as I prepare this moisty, delicious, raisin filled bread (also called Spotted Dog) for St. Patrick's Day, I recall when I googled and located the recipe.  In my fridge was an opened half filled container of buttermilk.  After searching and clicking online for an Irish Soda Bread recipe, I located a recipe that Carol (from Charli and Me) had shared.  It was eggless, contained buttermilk and a large amount of raisins.

Here is some background:  The original recipe is from the Will O'Glenn Irish Bed and Breakfast in Michigan with Mrs. Biddy Gahan sharing it.  Then Carol very graciously shared it and I'm so pleased that I googled and discovered this raisin filled bread!  Thanks to all who made it possible for me to discover it!  It's delicious! 

• One year with my oven working overtime, I melted the Butter in error.  After it cooled, I added the melted/ cooled Butter to the dry ingredients and discovered that the dough was easier to work with.

• I have a gas oven and I learned that an extra 15 minutes baking time was needed.  It is included in my recipe below.

Ready to be placed in the oven. (File Photo)

Irish Soda Bread
Oven:  400°F, then lowered to 375°F     
Total baking time:  45 Minutes

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 Cups Raisins
1 Cup boiling Water
*  *  *
1 stick Butter - I use unsalted.
2 and 1/2 Cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
5 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Cup Buttermilk, can be low fat/fat free

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Spray a 8" or 9 " Pyrex Pie Plate with PAM.
3. In a small bowl combine Raisins and boiling Water.  Let sit while preparing dough.
4. Melt Butter.  Cool.
5. In larger bowl, combine Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder & Sugar.
6. Add melted Butter to dry ingredients, stir in.
7. Add Buttermilk, stir.
8. Add drained Raisins, stir.
9. Shape into a ball after placing dough into pie plate.  Dough will be sticky.
10. Bake 15 Minutes at 400°F.
11. Lower oven to 375°F.  Bake 30 Minutes longer.
12. Remove the bread from pie plate and cool on rack.
13. After cooled, wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
14. Wait at least 5 hours before cutting into slices and eating.

I cut the bread into slices and then place in two sealed Ziploc Bags.  A half slice of Irish Soda Bread is a very tasty treat.  Extra slices do freeze well.

It's very difficult to enjoy only one half slice after the cooled bread is sliced!  So good!

Enjoy!
Yummy!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

 

~Luck of the Irish~

The Little Guy's Bib

Such a FuN week!  The outside grill has been working for 4 straight evenings!  It's time to bake and enjoy the Irish Soda Bread!  The St. Patrick's Day bib is finished for the Little Guy!  It's a real toss up which ranks as Numero No!  That cute bright green bib just may win out!  It's great that Jo-Ann's is now nearby, because the day it opened in February, I purchased the most festive holiday fabric for a bib!  I envisioned my grandson's holiday bib...  The cotton backside and Double Fold Bias tape are Kelly Green.  A small piece of Velcro works well as a fastener.  Previously, I had purchased the Butterick pattern #4533.  After lining it with fusible fleece, the parallel line quilting finished it off.  The fabric was washed before sewing and again after I finished, so it's ready to wear on St. Patrick's Day! 

A definite St. Patrick's Day edible favorite is the Irish Soda Bread my blog friend, Carol had shared about 4 years ago (Charli and Me).  This treat came from the Will O'Glenn Irish Bread & Breakfast in Glenn, MI.  Butter, Buttermilk and filled with Raisins!  Also...no Eggs!  Yum!  It is baked in a pie plate and is absolutely delicious! 

I've adapted the recipe by melting and cooling the Butter before using.  One year I was working too quickly and melted it.  It was an error that came out great!  The dough is less sticky to work with, so I now always melt/cool the Butter in this recipe.    

Ready for the oven!

Now, I bake this bread every year for our March 17 breakfast.  After cooling, I wrap it in GladWrap and then in foil.  After breakfast, any extra slices can be wrapped and stored in the freezer for another scrumptious breakfast!  Yum!  Definitely leave a few slices out for "grazing"!

Deliciously filled with Raisins!

Irish Soda Bread
Oven:  400°F, then lowered to 375°F.
Total Baking Time:  45 Minutes

Ingredients: 

1 and 1/2 Cups Raisins
1 Cup Boiling Water
*   *   *   *
1 stick Butter - I use unsalted.
2 and 1/2 Cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
5 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Cup Buttermilk, can be Low Fat/Fat Free

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Spray a 8" or 9" Pyrex Pie Plate with PAM.
3. In a small bowl combine Raisins and boiling Water.  Let sit while preparing dough.
4. Melt Butter.  Cool.
5. In larger bowl, combine Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder & Sugar.
6. Add melted Butter to dry ingredients, stir in.
7. Add Buttermilk, stir.
8. Add drained Raisins.  Stir.
9. Shape dough into a ball after placing into pie plate.  Dough will be sticky.
10. Bake 15 Minutes at 400°F.
11. Lower oven to 375°F.  Bake 30 Minutes longer.
12. Remove the bread from pie plate and cool on rack.
13. After cooled, wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
14. Wait at least 5 hours before cutting into slices and eating.

I cut the bread into slices and place in two sealed Ziploc Bags.  Extra slices do freeze well.

Enjoy!
Yummy!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!