(no subject)
Happy St. Paddy's Day, y'all, if you celebrate it. We never really do anything extravagant; I usually cook because I love to, and we stay in. Same this year, but Mark and Amy came over for a roleplaying game and dinner. I made a corned beef brisket with cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and onions, and then I baked an Irish brown soda bread that was fantastic. (I love this recipe and I'll post it under the cut.) It was only the second time I'd made it, so it was a little nerve-wracking, but baking tends to be for me. Breadmaking especially can be kinda fiddly, but I think it turned out well. Be even better if I had Irish stew to eat with it, but that was enough cooking for me today. ;) Maybe next time I want soup I'll make stew and soda bread to go with it.
I'm currently trying to resist the urge to bust open an empty bottle of Guinness to see what the little widget in it looks like.
Also, there was a new episode of NCIS tonight and it made me gleeful. So, yay about that! And yay for good food. And beer.
All of this came from a Cooks Illustrated. I actually have a few more recipes, but this is the only one I've tried so far.
Irish Soda Bread
Handling and mixing of the dough for Irish Soda Bread is crucial to getting the right taste and texture in the baked bread. Because baking soda begins reacting immediately with the acidic buttermilk, without the big second rise when you use double acting baking powder, it is important to mix dough quickly and not too vigorously. If you mix too slowly or too enthusiastically, too much carbon dioxide will be formed and dissipate during the mixing process, and therefore not enough will be produced during baking to provide the proper rise. Extended kneading also overdevelops the gluten in the flour, toughening the bread. It's no wonder that in Ireland a baker who produces a superior loaf of soda bread is traditionally said to have a "light hand", a great compliment.
So for proper handling:
1. Mix the dough with a fork until it just comes together
2. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead just until loose flour gets incorporated; do not overknead
3. Shape the dough into a 6 inch round
4. Place the dough on a cookie sheet and cut a cross shape into the top (almost edge to edge)
5. For a golden crust that's thin and crisp with a bit of chew, bake in a cast iron pan.
As regards the cross: Ancient lore dictates that a cross cut into the top of unbaked soda bread is necessary to let the demons out; in modern baking reality, the cuts ensure even heat distribution and all the load to expand without unattractive cracks. Regardless of the chemistry, I prefer the lore!
Whole Wheat Skillet Soda Bread: Irish Brown Bread
Makes 1 loaf. Cooks Illustrated, Published December 1, 2007.
If you do not have a cast iron pan the bread can be baked on a baking sheet although the crust won’t be quite as crunchy. Soda bread is best eaten on the day it is baked but does keep well covered and stored at room temperature for a couple of days after which time it will become dry.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon melted butter , optional
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees and adjust a rack to the center position. Place the flours, wheat germ, cream of tartar, soda, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour using your fingers until it is completely incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk. Work the liquid into the flour mixture using a fork until the dough comes together in large clumps. Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead briefly until the loose flour is just moistened. The dough will be sticky and you may add a small amount of flour as you knead. The dough will still be scrappy and uneven.
2. Form the dough into a round about 6 to 7 inches in diameter and place in a cast iron skillet. Score a deep cross on top of the loaf and place in the heated oven. Bake until nicely browned and a tester comes out clean when inserted into the center of the loaf, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with a tablespoon of melted butter if desired. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
I'm currently trying to resist the urge to bust open an empty bottle of Guinness to see what the little widget in it looks like.
Also, there was a new episode of NCIS tonight and it made me gleeful. So, yay about that! And yay for good food. And beer.
All of this came from a Cooks Illustrated. I actually have a few more recipes, but this is the only one I've tried so far.
Irish Soda Bread
Handling and mixing of the dough for Irish Soda Bread is crucial to getting the right taste and texture in the baked bread. Because baking soda begins reacting immediately with the acidic buttermilk, without the big second rise when you use double acting baking powder, it is important to mix dough quickly and not too vigorously. If you mix too slowly or too enthusiastically, too much carbon dioxide will be formed and dissipate during the mixing process, and therefore not enough will be produced during baking to provide the proper rise. Extended kneading also overdevelops the gluten in the flour, toughening the bread. It's no wonder that in Ireland a baker who produces a superior loaf of soda bread is traditionally said to have a "light hand", a great compliment.
So for proper handling:
1. Mix the dough with a fork until it just comes together
2. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead just until loose flour gets incorporated; do not overknead
3. Shape the dough into a 6 inch round
4. Place the dough on a cookie sheet and cut a cross shape into the top (almost edge to edge)
5. For a golden crust that's thin and crisp with a bit of chew, bake in a cast iron pan.
As regards the cross: Ancient lore dictates that a cross cut into the top of unbaked soda bread is necessary to let the demons out; in modern baking reality, the cuts ensure even heat distribution and all the load to expand without unattractive cracks. Regardless of the chemistry, I prefer the lore!
Whole Wheat Skillet Soda Bread: Irish Brown Bread
Makes 1 loaf. Cooks Illustrated, Published December 1, 2007.
If you do not have a cast iron pan the bread can be baked on a baking sheet although the crust won’t be quite as crunchy. Soda bread is best eaten on the day it is baked but does keep well covered and stored at room temperature for a couple of days after which time it will become dry.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon melted butter , optional
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees and adjust a rack to the center position. Place the flours, wheat germ, cream of tartar, soda, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour using your fingers until it is completely incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk. Work the liquid into the flour mixture using a fork until the dough comes together in large clumps. Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead briefly until the loose flour is just moistened. The dough will be sticky and you may add a small amount of flour as you knead. The dough will still be scrappy and uneven.
2. Form the dough into a round about 6 to 7 inches in diameter and place in a cast iron skillet. Score a deep cross on top of the loaf and place in the heated oven. Bake until nicely browned and a tester comes out clean when inserted into the center of the loaf, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with a tablespoon of melted butter if desired. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.