Nana Kathleens Irish White Soda Fruit Bread Recipes

NANA DOT'S IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets.
• Stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl until evenly blended. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in the raisins, currants, and caraway seeds, then make a well in the center and pour in the milk and vinegar. Stir with a spoon until the dry ingredients are moistened.
• Turn the dough out onto a well floured work surface, and knead gently 8 to 10 times. Divide the dough into two balls, and place onto the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and bake until the top of the bread is golden brown, about 15 minutes more.

FRUIT & SPICE SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Whizz the porridge oats and butter together in a food processor, or rub the butter into the oats with your fingertips in a big bowl. Stir in the flours, caster sugar, bicarb, mixed spice, 1 tsp salt, the raisins, sultanas, dates and mixed peel.
• Pour over the buttermilk and quickly stir in with a round-bladed knife. Tip out onto a flour-dusted surface and gently bring together into a ball with your hands. Transfer to a flour-dusted baking sheet and scatter over the demerara sugar, pressing it into the top. Use a sharp, flour-dusted knife to cut a big cross in the top and bake for 30-35 mins until crusty on the outside. Eat warm or cold, thickly sliced, with butter.

BEST EVER IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch cake pan.
• Stir together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter gently into the flour mixture until well combined, and stir in the raisins. In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk and eggs together; lightly beat the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture. Place the dough into the prepared cake pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the bread has risen and the top is golden brown, 45 minutes to 1 hour. A knife inserted into the center of the bread should come out clean. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing. Serve warm.

IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C and dust a baking sheet with flour. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then rub in the butter. Pour in the buttermilk and mix it in quickly with a table knife, then bring the dough together very lightly with your fingertips (handle it very, very gently). Now shape it into a flat, round loaf measuring 20cm/8in in diameter.
• Put the loaf on the baking sheet and score a deep cross in the top. (Traditionally, this lets the fairies out, but it also helps the bread to cook through.) Bake for 30-35 minutes until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. If it isn't ready after this time, turn it upside down on the baking sheet and bake for a few minutes more.
• Transfer to a wire rack, cover with a clean tea towel (this keeps the crust nice and soft) and leave to cool. To serve, break into quarters, then break or cut each quarter in half to make 8 wedges or slices - or simply slice across. Eat very fresh.

NANA DOT'S IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets.
• Stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl until evenly blended. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in the raisins, currants, and caraway seeds, then make a well in the center and pour in the milk and vinegar. Stir with a spoon until the dry ingredients are moistened.
• Turn the dough out onto a well floured work surface, and knead gently 8 to 10 times. Divide the dough into two balls, and place onto the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and bake until the top of the bread is golden brown, about 15 minutes more.