Herbed White Soda Bread Recipes

AMAZINGLY EASY IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• 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.

HERB BATTER BREAD

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups flour, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Stir in the water, shortening, parsley, rosemary, and thyme. Use an electric mixer to beat on low speed for 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Turn mixer to medium, and beat for an additional 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in remaining 1 cup flour; mix until smooth. Scrape batter from sides of bowl. Cover, and let rise in warm place for 35 to 40 minutes.
• Grease a 9x5 loaf pan. Stir down batter by beating about 25 strokes. Scrape batter into greased pan; pat down with floured hands. Cover pan. Let dough rise in warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Do not allow dough to over-rise.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake in preheated oven until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, 40 to 45 minutes. Brush top with margarine. Remove from pan, and cool on wire rack.

WHITE SODA BREAD OR SCONES WITH HERBS

Steps:

• Add fresh herbs to dry ingredients of white soda bread dough and proceed making dough as above. Shape into loaf or scones and bake as for soda bread. If making scones bake for 20 minutes in a 450 degree oven.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• In a mixing bowl sift together 1 pound flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Make a well in the center. Pour most of the milk into the well. Using one hand, mix in the flour from sides of the bowl, adding more milk if necessary. The dough should be softish, not too wet and sticky. When it all comes together, turn the dough onto a well-floured counter. Wash and dry hands. Knead lightly for 1 second, just to tidy it up, flip over. Pat dough into a round about 11/2 inches deep and cut a cross into dough over the sides of the bread to let the fairies out. Bake in preheated 450 degree oven for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 400 degrees for another 30 minutes or until cooked. If in doubt, tap the bottom of the bread, it should sound hollow.

BEST IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in butter until crumbly. In a small bowl, whisk eggs and buttermilk; stir into flour mixture just until moistened. Fold in raisins. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; gently knead 5-6 times., Divide dough in half; shape each portion into a round loaf. Place 6 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. , Bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

HERB IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F degrees.
• Put vinegar in 2 cup measuring cup and add enough milk to make 14 oz; set aside for 5 minutes.
• In a large bowl mix together dry ingredients.
• Add liquid and mix together slowly by hand until dough forms.
• Turn onto floured surface.
• Gently knead dough to form an 8-inch circle (this should only take about two minutes) dough should be soft and about 2-3 inches thick.
• Place in a baking pan (your option).
• Cut a cross pattern in dough+ (it should go at least halfway into and be entire length and width).
• Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes.
• Reduce oven to 400°F and bake 15-20 minutes longer.
• Remove from oven when golden brown.

WHITE SODA BREAD WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together into a mixing bowl.
• Make a well in the center.
• Pour in most of the buttermilk.
• Stir just until all ingredients are incorporated. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Add the remaining buttermilk if it's too dry.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Roll it around a little to make it neater. Don't knead.
• Pat dough into a round loaf about 2" high.
• Place on a lightly floured baking sheet.
• Using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross in the center of the dough.
• Irish folklore insists that you must now prick each section of the dough with your knife, to let the Little People out (what they're doing in your bread in the first place, I can't imagine).
• Bake 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 400°F and bake until loaf is browned and sounds hollow when tapped, about 25 minutes more.
• For the variations, stir in the additional ingredients before adding the buttermilk.

PARMESAN HERB LOAF

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, sugar, onion, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk the sour cream, milk and butter. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened., Turn onto a floured surface; knead for 1 minute. Shape into a round loaf; place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. With kitchen scissors, cut a 1/4-in.-deep cross in top of loaf. Brush with egg white. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and Italian seasoning., Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

HERB BREAD OR PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Stir together: 2 teaspoons dry yeast, 1/2 cup lukewarm water.
• Add and mix well: 1/4 cup unbleached white flour, 1/4 cup rye flour.
• Allow this mixture to sit until quite bubbly, about 30 minutes.
• Mix together in another bowl: 3 1/4 cups unbleached white flour, 1 teaspoon salt.
• Stir this into the yeast and flour mixture with: 3/4 cup cold water, 1/4 cup olive oil.
• Mix thoroughly by hand or in an electric stand mixer. If working by hand, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead until the dough is soft and elastic, about 5 minutes. If the dough is too wet and sticky, add more flour, but only enough to form a soft, slightly sticky dough. Or use the mixer, fitted with the dough hook, and knead for about 5 minutes. The dough is the right texture when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl of the mixer, but still adheres to the bottom. A very soft, slightly moist dough will make the best focaccia.
• Put the dough in a large bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours. For an even better-tasting and more supple dough, let the dough rise slowly overnight in the refrigerator. (Remove from the refrigerator 2 hours before shaping.)
• Generously oil a 10-inch by 15 1/2-inch rimmed baking or sheet pan. Gently remove the dough from the bowl and flatten it on the baking pan, shaping it to fit the pan by gently pressing down from the center out towards the edges. If the dough starts to resist and spring back, let it rest for 10 minutes, then continue shaping. Try not to deflate or smash all of the air out of the dough as you are shaping it. Dimple the surface of the dough by lightly poking it with your fingertips.
• Drizzle with: 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Cover and let rise until doubled in height, about 2 hours.
• While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 450°F. If you have one, place a baking stone on the lower rack and let it heat for 30 minutes before baking the bread. Sprinkle the dough with: 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt and put the baking pan directly on the stone. Bake the focaccia until golden and crisp on the top and bottom, about 20 to 25 minutes. Invert the pan to remove the bread and place on a rack to cool.
• variation
• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or sage leaves over the dough before baking.
• Chop about 1 tablespoon fresh tender herbs and add to the dough with the oil.
• Divide the dough in two before shaping and press into two 1/2-inch-thick disks. Put the disks into oiled 8-inch pie plates. Dimple, oil, let rise as above, and bake, checking after 10 minutes.
• Top with sautéed onions, cheese, tomato slices, or sautéed greens before baking.