Showing posts with label Fabulous Sides. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fabulous Sides. Show all posts
With Saint Patrick's day being just a few weeks away, my mind this month is very much turned towards Irish recipes and food. One of my deepest regrets about the 20 years I spent living in the UK was that I never got to visit Ireland. It was on my bucket list, but just did not happen.
I love the Irish people. My UK Landlord was Irish and one of my best friends was Irish. I, myself, have 27% Irish DNA, so I think it is pretty safe to say that I am well within my rights to celebrate Saint Patrick's day as much as I want to! I can wear green and not feel like I am misappropriating anyone's culture!
I adore Irish Soda Bread. In the UK you could buy a really nice soda bread in the shops. Made by Paul Rankin (A very popular Irish chef) I loved the fruited one, but they also had a whole wheat one. Both were very good actually.
I have also made my own homemade soda bread many times. I love the ease of it and how nice it tastes, both sliced and buttered and on its own or with a hot bowl of soup or stew.
When I saw this recipe for Irish Soda Bread Muffins on the King Arthur baking site, I immediately bookmarked it as something I wanted to try at a future date.
Nothing could be easier. The easy batter goes together just like a muffin batter would, gets spooned into a muffin tin and baked.
The end result is a mini Irish Soda Bread, with all of the characteristics of a regular soda bread, but the size of a muffin. With loads of crisp crags and crannies, and loaded o the hilt with plenty of dried currants.
I buy my currants on Amazon. But if you cannot get currants you can always use raisins. Both would work very well.
It is a basic drop biscuit type of dough. Quite stiff, but yielding a tender moist muffin that is perfect spread with butter and jam.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE IRISH SODA BREAD MUFFINS
Simple every day baking ingredients and where I can I have suggested substitutions that you can use in the place of something which may be a bit more difficult to procure.
- 1 1/2 cups (210g) unbleached all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (105g) whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup (75g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (170g) dried currants (or the equivalent measure of raisins)
- 1/2 to 2 tsp caraway seeds (depending on if you want a hint or a hit!)
- 1 large free range egg
- 1 cup (227g) buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream (I used a mix of yogurt and milk)
- 6 TBS (85g) butter melted or 1/3 cup (67g) vegetable oil
- coarse sugar for sprinkling on top (I used demerara/turbinado)
The King Arthur site actually recommended the use of white whole wheat flour. I have never seen such a thing and so I just used regular whole wheat flour. I always buy unbleached all purpose flour.
My sugar is organic granulated sugar, which I buy from Costco in big bags. It is not white, but a golden color. I buy my currants online from Amazon. If you like or cannot get them, you can use raisins in their place.
I use regular salted butter. You can also use oil in this recipe if you don't want to to the trouble of melting butter. I use free range eggs.
Buttermilk can be problematic for some people to buy. What I loved about Ireland was that you could buy buttermilk by the liter. In the UK, it was only available in small 1 cup sized containers. I bought my buttermilk from an Irish store in a much larger container.
You can also make your own buttermilk substitute very easily, in one of two ways. You can add 1 TBS of white vinegar or lemon juice to a jug and add milk to the measure that you need. Leave to clabber for five minutes.
Another way is to mix together equal parts of plain yogurt and milk. This is generally what I do when I don't have any buttermilk in the house. Obviously if you have it, using buttermilk itself is ideal.
One important component of this bread is the caraway seed. You can omit it if you don't like it. You can use any where from 1/2 tsp to 2 tsp of them. Obviously the more you use the more you will taste their flavor.
Generally speaking, one thing that I try to do for most of my baking is to make sure all of my ingredients are at room temperature, unless otherwise specified. Some recipes do require the use of cold butter, etc. But they will say that.
Normally I will bring all of my dairy ingredients to room temperature. This really helps to ensure perfect results. So butter, milk, eggs, oil, etc. all room temperature, unless otherwise specified.
HOW TO MAKE IRISH SODA BREAD MUFFINS
If you pretty much follow the rules for making muffins, then you cannot go wrong. Do not overmix or you risk creating tough muffins. Mix wet and dry ingredients together only until evenly moistened.
Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a standard muffin tin really well, or line with papers and butter the papers.
Whisk both flours, the soda, the baking powder, salt, sugar, caraway seed, currants or raisins together in a medium sized bowl, combining well.
Whisk the egg, buttermilk and melted butter together in another bowl. (Or the substitutions)
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and quickly combine, using a few strokes with a bowl scraper or a large spoon. Mix only until everything is moistened. Do not overmix. The batter will be quite stiff.
Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, dividing it equally. It will look mounded in the cups. Sprinkle some of the coarse sugar on top.
Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. A skewer inserted in the center should come out clean.
Remove from the oven and tip the muffins in the pan. Leave for five minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve plain or with some butter and jam.
I was really pleased with the way these turned out. I enjoyed one for my lunch today with some soft butter and some of my precious English Marmalade. I was in heaven.
I will share some with my neighbor and then freeze the rest to have on Saint Patrick's day proper! These were delicious! It might look like a lot of currants, but this was just the right amount!
If you are interested in cooking a full sized Irish Soda Bread you can find my other recipes here:
TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD - This is a simple classic bread in many Irish households. Perfect for mopping up gravies and stews and for serving alongside of hearty broths and soups! It is also pretty wonderful served warm, buttered, and spread with jam or honey, meant to be washed down with copious cups of hot tea!
SMALL BATCH IRISH SODA BREAD - A smaller loaf for a smaller family. This is a traditional white, fruited loaf that breaks into four lovely pieces to enjoy as you wish.
IRISH SODA BREAD - The white flour non-fruited version. Quick, easy and tasty, this version is just as much at home next to the soup or stew bowl as it is spread with butter and jam. Delicious either way!
Yield: 12
Irish Soda Bread Muffins
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
Mini muffin sized soda breads that are loaded with dried currants (or raisins) with just a hint of caraway seed. Perfect for enjoying with a hot cuppa, split and spread with butter and your favorite jam.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (210g) unbleached all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (105g) whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup (75g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (170g) dried currants (or the equivalent measure of raisins)
- 1/2 to 2 tsp caraway seeds (depending on if you want a hint or a hit!)
- 1 large free range egg
- 1 cup (227g) buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream (I used a mix of yogurt and milk)
- 6 TBS (85g) butter melted or 1/3 cup (67g) vegetable oil
- coarse sugar for sprinkling on top (I used demerara/turbinado)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a standard muffin tin really well, or line with papers and butter the papers.
- Whisk both flours, the soda, the baking powder, salt, sugar, caraway seed, currants or raisins together in a medium sized bowl, combining well.
- Whisk the egg, buttermilk and melted butter together in another bowl. (Or the substitutions)
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and quickly combine, using a few strokes with a bowl scraper or a large spoon. Mix only until everything is moistened. Do not overmix. The batter will be quite stiff.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, dividing it equally. It will look mounded in the cups. Sprinkle some of the coarse sugar on top.
- Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. A skewer inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Remove from the oven and tip the muffins in the pan. Leave for five minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve plain or with some butter and jam.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
I have a bread machine and I have to say I make good use of it. I bake myself one or two loaves of bread in my machine just about every week. Sometimes if I am invited out for supper I will bake a loaf of bread to take with me as a Hostess gift. I can assure you it is always very welcome!
For years and years I struggled with baking a decent loaf of bread from scratch. My ex husband used to make beautiful bread for the family when my children were growing up. With five children we went through a LOT of bread!
He used to make the kitchen table dance across the floor when he was kneading it. Bread making day was always a really popular day in our home. I think the first loaf always got inhaled as soon as it came out of the oven. He would make at least a dozen loaves every week and they all got eaten.
Nobody minded taking homemade bread sandwiches to school either. Yes. It was that good. It was his mother's recipe and a bread he had grown up with. Good. Good. Good.
I was only ever very good at producing door stops. Heavy leaden door stops. It was not until I purchased a bread machine that I started producing really good bread.
My friend Jo inspired me to get one when I was in the UK. I bought for myself a Panasonic bread machine, which is what she had. I can tell you I wore the first one out and had to buy a new one after 18 years of almost daily use. And then I had to leave that one behind when I moved back to Canada in 2020.
I hadn't been going to get another one when I moved back to Canada, but after having to eat the bread available in the shops here for about six months, I decided I couldn't stand it any longer. I just had to buy myself a bread machine and I have baking my own bread ever since.
Once again I purchased myself a Panasonic Bread machine. Model # SD-RD 250. It has been serving me well for over 20 years and I expect that this newer one will also serve me very well. I have had no problems with it thus far. It bakes great bread!
As a Canadian I love Maple Syrup. When I first moved over to the UK I brought a 4-liter can of Maple Syrup with me. This was pre 9/11 and I was able to bring it right onto the aircraft. I was not going to live without my Maple Syrup!
Of course it is widely available there now, but when I first got to the UK it was a very rare find indeed. Hence the 4-liter can! My fingers were quite sore from carrying it through three airports, but it was worth all the effort.
This Maple Buttermilk Bread is a truly beautiful loaf of bread. It is slightly sweet from the use of Maple Syrup and has a beautiful tang from the buttermilk. It has a lovely tight crumb as you can see, and a beautiful crisp crust.
I adapted the recipe from a cookbook I have entitled, The Bread Lovers Bread Machine Cookbook, by Beth Hensperger. If you have a bread machine and you don't have this book, I highly recommend it. Every recipe I have baked from it is exceptional!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE MAPLE BUTTERMILK BREAD
There is nothing complicated here.
- 2 1/4 tsp bread machine yeast (1 3/4 tsp SAF yeast)
- 3 cups (420g) strong bread flour
- 1/3 cup (82g) buttermilk powder
- 1 TBS vital wheat gluten
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 TBS maple syrup
- 1 1/2 TBS melted butter
- 1 cup plus 1 TBS cold water (240ml plus 1 TBS)
I am not sure what SAF yeast is. I just always use bread machine yeast. It serves me quite well.
If you cannot find buttermilk powder (I buy mine on Amazon) feel free to replace the water and dry buttermilk powder in the recipe with regular liquid buttermilk. In this case you will need 1 cup plus 1 TBS of buttermilk (240ml plus 1 TBS).
Vital Wheat Gluten is a product that helps to boost the protein content of the bread. It is not absolutely essential, but it does make a much nicer loaf. I buy mine again on Amazon. I store it in the freezer so it will last longer.
Simply follow the instructions for a basic loaf of bread as per your particular model of bread machine.
- Place all of the ingredients into your bread machine according to your bread machine's manufacturers instructions. (Mine puts the dry first and wet last.)
- Set the crust on medium and the program to basic. Press start.
- As soon as the bake cycle ends, remove the bread from the pan and place onto a rack to cool to room temperature prior to slicing.
- Store in an airtight bag or container. You can also freeze it.
HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST BREAD IN THE BREAD MACHINE
Really if you follow the directions on your particular bread machine your bread should work out perfectly, but there are a few things you can do that will give you an even better loaf of bread.
1. Measure by weight and not volume. Weight is a much more precise way to measure. You can't go wrong. I have a set of digital scales that I use. I just pop the bread pan onto them and measure away. My scales measure in grams, Kg, pounds and ounces, milliliters, etc. I started baking by weight when I lived in the UK and I would now never bake any other way.
2. Bread machine loaves work best with bread flour. Bread flour can also be labeled "Best for Bread" or "High Gluten flour."
3. You can use regular flour, but if you do I recommend adding Vital Wheat Gluten to the recipe. This helps to boost the protein content of the bread.
4. Measure very carefully. If you don't add enough flour, no matter the type of flour you use, the bread will collapse and is often uncooked in the center. If you add too much flour, you will end up with a dense, hard heavy ball.
5. I add Vital Wheat Gluten to all of my recipes for bread making in a bread machine. You can purchase it online. It helps to yield a much better loaf, helping the loaf to rise higher with a nicer texture than without.
Vital wheat gluten is best stored in the refrigerator (for up to one year), but you can store it on the counter if you think you will use it up within two months (highly unlikely for the home baker.)
This truly is a beautiful loaf of bread. A new favorite here. I used some today to make my favorite grilled cheese sandwich to serve with a cup of hot tomato soup. Is there anything more comforting than tomato soup and a grilled cheese? I think not!! This is the ultimate comfort food meal!!
This bread made an excellent grilled cheese. Yes, I am a total glutton. I like to melt a pat of butter on the top of my tomato soup. It has been ever so!
BREAD MACHINE PARKER HOUSE ROLLS - These are beautiful rolls and well deserving of being served at your holiday meal, or at any meal for that matter. Using the Bread Machine makes them quick and very simple to make.
BUTTERMILK WHOLEWHEAT BREAD - With a mixture of both whole wheat and white bread flours, and sweetened with maple syrup. Then there is the addition of buttermilk. Together these things make for a really delicious wholesome loaf of bread.
Yield: 1 medium loaf
Maple Buttermilk Bread
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 4 HourTotal time: 4 H & 10 M
This is a basic white bread recipe that is a delicious combination of the sweetness of Maple syrup and tangy buttermilk. It makes for lovely sandwiches and toast.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 tsp bread machine yeast (1 3/4 tsp SAF yeast)
- 3 cups (420g) strong bread flour
- 1/3 cup (82g) buttermilk powder
- 1 TBS vital wheat gluten
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 TBS maple syrup
- 1 1/2 TBS melted butter
- 1 cup plus 1 TBS cold water (240ml plus 1 TBS)
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients into your bread machine according to your bread machine's manufacturers instructions. (Mine puts the dry first and wet last.)
- Set the crust on medium and the program to basic. Press start.
- As soon as the bake cycle ends, remove the bread from the pan and place onto a rack to cool to room temperature prior to slicing.
- Store in an airtight bag or container.
Thank you so much for visiting! Do come again!
I love biscuits. I especially love drop biscuits. There is no fussing about with having to roll anything out. You can just mix everything together and drop them onto the baking sheet.
They also end up with nice craggy crisp bits that I find very morish.
I also adore cornbread. It wasn't something we had when I was growing up, but it was something my mother in law always made. You cannot ask for a better bread to go with beans, unless its brown bread, but I digress.
When I discovered this recipe that combines those two loves, like this Drop Cornbread Biscuit recipe, I could not resist trying it out!!
The original recipe comes from Land O Lakes and makes 8 large or 12 small drop biscuits. I halved the recipe (which is what I am showing you) and the recipe makes four large of 6 small deliciously moreish drop biscuits!!!
My first experience with cornbread was when we visited my mother in law on Prince Edward Island for the first time after my husband and I got married. She called it corncake. You could either bake it in a round or square pan, or as muffins.
I remember my mother in law had to work this one day and she said to my sister in law Linda, who was also there, would she put the corncake in the oven before she got home from work.
Then my sister in law proceeded to go out on her own and told me to bake the corncake. And to do it now, so I did.
When my mother in law got home she was a bit upset because it shouldn't have been baked until just prior to supper, which made me feel really bad. But that sister in law had a habit of dropping me in it if she could. I learned to never trust anything she said or told me to do.
I don't know why some people are like that. I guess we are all different. In any case, the corncake is delicious, but so are these fabulous drop biscuits, speaking of dropping things!
These would make a great last minute bread recipe to bake and serve along with any kind of soup or stew, or even a salad. They would also be great served for breakfast with butter and jam, or along side of your bacon and eggs.
They are quick and easy to make and very tasty! (Even the day after!) It takes between 5 and 10 minutes to throw them together and about 15 to bake. Easy peasy lemon squeasy!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE DROP CORNBREAD BISCUITS (SMALL BATCH)
Simple every day baking cupboard ingredients. If you are like me you will probably always have these things on hand.
- 1 cup (125g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (56g) corn meal (coarse polenta)
- 1 TBS granulated sugar
- 1/2 TBS baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup (60g) cold butter, cut into bits
- 1/2 cup (120ml) cold buttermilk
In the UK you can use coarse polenta instead of the cornmeal required. You can get cornmeal there, but usually only through an American grocery supply store such as Skyco. That's where I used to get it when I lived there, plus a few other odds and bobs.
Don't worry if you haven't got any buttermilk. It is very easy to make your own substitute, which is what I usually do. There are two ways of doing this. The first is to add a TBS of lemon juice or white vinegar to your measuring cup and fill to the amount of liquid you need. Leave to clabber for five minutes and then use.
The second is to mix together equal parts of plain yogurt and milk to make up the measure of buttermilk you are needing to use. Easy peasy and this is my favorite method here.
HOW TO MAKE DROP CORNBREAD BISCUITS (SMALL BATCH)
Again, nothing could be simpler. The hardest bit is incorporating the butter, but you can easily do that with a pasty blender or two knives. Don't be tempted to rub it in by hand as you will melt the butter and you don't want to do that.
Preheat the oven to 450*F/ 230*C/ gas mark 4. Line a small baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.
Sift the flour into a bowl. Stir in the sugar, cornmeal, salt and baking powder. Drop in the butter.
Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with some bits being pea sized, but no larger.
Using a fork stir in the buttermilk. If the mixture seems too dry, add a bit more.
Drop by fourths onto the prepared baking sheet. (Leave space in between for spreading.)
Bake in the preheated oven for 14 to 15 minutes. When done they will be browned on the bottoms and golden brown on top.
Remove from the oven and serve warm.
And that's it! Just look at all those crispy craggy bits. Inside they have the perfect crumb, with just a touch of crunchiness from the use of the cornmeal. Lots of lovely buttery flavor.
I enjoyed one of these with my dinner and quite cheekily I enjoyed one later on with some butter and honey. Oh boy was it ever some good. I froze the last two for another time. They will keep, tightly wrapped for about six months.
To use simply reheat gently in a warm (not hot) oven.
YOGURT BISCUITS WITH CARDAMOM BUTTER - These are as light as a cloud and use only three ingredients. They almost float off the plate. Like an angel's wings or an angel's kiss. They are amazing. That flavored butter is also amazing.
CREAM BISCUITS - Nice and light with a beautiful fluffy texture . . . perfect split and spread with cold butter and honey. They would also be lovely with some ham and mustard, maybe a bit of cheese. (That is the glutton in me talking, lol.)
Yield: 4 large drop biscuits
Drop Cornbread Biscuits
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min
These are light and fluffy with lots of crispy crags and crevices. Deliciously buttery with a fabulous cornbread crunch!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (56g) corn meal (coarse polenta)
- 1 TBS granulated sugar
- 1/2 TBS baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup (60g) cold butter, cut into bits
- 1/2 cup (120ml) cold buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450*F/ 230*C/ gas mark 4. Line a small baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.
- Sift the flour into a bowl. Stir in the sugar, cornmeal, salt and baking powder. Drop in the butter.
- Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with some bits being pea sized, but no larger.
- Using a fork stir in the buttermilk. If the mixture seems too dry, add a bit more.
- Drop by fourths onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 14 to 15 minutes. When done they will be browned on the bottoms and golden brown on top.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons