Irish Soda Bread#1

* Exported from MasterCook *

IRISH SODA BREAD #1

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Irish Breads

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 1/2 c Flour
1/2 ts Sugar
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Bicarbonate of soda
1 1/4 c Buttermilk: to 2 1/2 c *

* You will need somewhere between these two amounts of
buttermilk, depending on how much liquid your flour
tends to absorb. Try to avoid using regular milk: if
you must, use baking powder instead of bicarbonate of
soda. -- Lightly grease a heavy skillet (if making
"soda farl", the flat version of soda bread) or
preheat the oven to 450 F (if making "soda cake", the
round, more breadlike version.) Sift the dry
ingredients together into a large bowl; make sure the
soda is evenly distributed. Make a well in the center
of the dry mixture and add about half the buttermilk.
Stir until you have a raggy dough that is very squashy
but which looks more or less dry. Add more liquid
sparingly until you achieve this texture. Blend until
all the flour has achieved this consistency; then turn
out immediately onto a lightly floured board and knead
***for no more than a minute or a minute and a
half***. Overkneading makes this bread very tough, and
it's very easy to overdo it. If making soda cake,
shape the dough into a circle about 8-9 inches across
and about an inch and a half thick. Cut a cross about
on the top, about half an inch deep, and place on a
floured baking sheet. Bake at 450 F for 45-50 minutes.
If making soda farl, shape the dough into a circle
about 9 inches by one inch thick and cut into four
wedges or "farls": place in the preheated skillet,
with cut edges about half an inch apart. Cook slowly
on the stovetop over low-to-medium heat: it should
take about 20 minutes for the farls to puff up and
turn a light brown on the pan side. Turn them and cook
for another 20 minutes. -- For a softer crust on
either soda cake or soda farl, wrap in a dishtowel
after baking. -- For more information on making
sodabread and its variations, please see the file
"SODABRED.TXT" included with this zipfile.



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