Seedy Rosemary Soda Bread Recipes

ROSEMARY CHEDDAR IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 C). Lightly coat a 10-inch cast iron skillet or rimmed baking sheet with oil; set aside. (If using a baking stone, line with parchment paper.)
• Cut the butter into small cubes, place on a plate, and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper. Add the rosemary and cheddar, and stir to combine.
• Add the chilled butter and, using your fingers, work the cubes into the flour by quickly pinching and rubbing the butter and flour together. The butter should be fully worked in, without leaving large chunks.
• Add 2 cups buttermilk and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to combine. Once it becomes difficult to stir, use your hands to press and gather the dough into a rough, craggy ball. Shape the ball until slightly flattened and about 7 or 8 inches in diameter.
• Transfer the dough to your baking surface, and with a sharp knife, score a large X about 1/2-inch deep all the way from end to end (see photo in post). Brush the top with a bit more buttermilk.
• Bake for 25 minutes, then check the bread; if the top is already nicely browned, tent with a piece of aluminum foil. Continue baking for 20 to 30 minutes more. The bread is ready when the center of the X has lost the wet, shiny look of raw dough. You can also insert a cake tester or skewer - it should come out clean.
• Transfer to a wire rack and let bread cool 10 minutes before serving. Cut thick slices, slather richly with butter, and sprinkle a bit of extra sea salt on top for the full experience!

ROSEMARY AND CHEDDAR SODA BREADS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
• Sift the flours, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the Cheddar and chopped rosemary. Make a well in the middle. Add the buttermilk and, using a fork, mix until just combined. This will give you a soft, sticky dough, which makes a nice moist loaf. With floured hands, divide the dough into 4, scrape each one onto the prepared baking sheet and pat into a light round. Using a chef's knife, deeply score each soda bread with a cross on top (this will allow the heat to penetrate the center of the dough).
• Bake until the breads are dark golden all over and sound hollow when you tap the bottoms, about 30 minutes.

SEEDED WHOLE GRAIN SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Mix millet, quinoa, amaranth, 1 cup oats, 1 cup buttermilk, and 1/2 cup water in a small bowl. Cover and let sit 8-12 hours. (Alternatively, bring ingredients to a simmer in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and let sit until mixture is thick like porridge, about 2 hours.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil an 8"-diameter cast-iron skillet or cake pan. Whisk whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, flaxseed, salt, baking soda, and 1/4 cup sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Work in butter with your fingers until largest pieces are pea-size. Make a well in the center and add brown rice syrup, oat mixture, remaining 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough is smooth, homogenous, and still slightly sticky.
• Form dough into a ball and place in prepared pan. Brush with buttermilk; top with more oats and sunflower seeds. Cut a large X into the top and bake until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of loaf registers 190°F, 55-70 minutes. Let cool in pan.
• Do ahead
• Bread can be baked 2 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

ROSEMARY-PARMESAN SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large cast-iron skillet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, Parmesan, sugar, rosemary, kosher salt, baking powder, baking soda and red pepper flakes. Working over the bowl, grate the butter on the large holes of a box grater, letting the grated butter fall over the flour mixture. Gently toss the butter into the flour. Using a fork, stir in the buttermilk until a shaggy dough forms.
• Scrape the dough onto a work surface, gather up any crumbs and knead gently until the dough just comes together. Shape the dough into a round loaf and transfer it to the prepared skillet. Slash an X about 1/4 inch deep in the top of the bread. Brush the bread with buttermilk, then sprinkle with Parmesan and pepper.
• Bake the bread until it is golden and it sounds hollow when lightly tapped, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let cool at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with softened butter and flaky sea salt.

HONEY AND ROSEMARY SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Mix all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, rosemary, and salt together in a large bowl. Add buttermilk and honey; mix until a soft dough forms.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Shape into a round loaf approximately 8 inches in diameter. Score top of the dough with 2 shallow crosses, marking 8 wedges. Transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Tap the bottom of the loaf; it will sound hollow when done.
• Let bread rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

SIX SEED SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• In a small bowl combine all the seeds and set aside.
• Combine the flours, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Add all but 2 tablespoons of the seeds.
• Stir the sour milk/buttermilk (recommend using smaller amount and gradually add more milk as needed) into the dry ingredients just to blend (dough will be sticky).
• Turn out dough on to a well floured board and knead about 5 times, just enough to pull it together into a loose ball. (over kneading will make the bread tough).
• Place the dough on a lightly floured baking sheet and mark it with a deep cross across the top, cutting two-thirds to the way through the loaf with a serrated knife.
• Brush with a little milk and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of seeds.
• Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
• Cool on rack.

SEEDED SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the flour, seeds and bicarb in a bowl, then mix together the milk and lemon juice in a small jug and pour it into the dry ingredients. Stir with a knife until the mixture comes together into a sticky dough.
• Tip onto a lightly floured work surface and lightly shape into a ball with wet or floured hands, as it will be sticky to handle. Lift onto a floured baking tray, reshape if required, then sprinkle more seeds over the top and press them in lightly. Bake for 35-40 mins until firm and golden. Cool on a wire rack, then wrap in foil until needed. Will keep chilled for up to four days, or frozen for up to a month.