Best 5 Maud Herlihys Irish Soda Bread Recipes

MARILYN O'REILLY'S IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt and stir well to mix.
• Add the butter and rub in until the butter disappears into the dry ingredients.
• Stir in the caraway seeds if used and the raisins.
• In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg together and mix into the dough mixture with a rubber spatula.
• Turn the dough out on a floured work surface and fold it over on itself several times, shaping it into a round loaf. Transfer the loaf to one cookie sheet or jelly roll pan covered with parchment or foil and cut a cross in the top. Bake for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350 and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes more, until well colored and a toothpick plunged into the center emerges clean.
• Cool the soda bread on a rack and serve with plenty of sweet butter and bitter orange marmalade.

MAUD HERLIHY'S IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees with a rack set in lower third of oven. Lightly butter a 10-inch round cast-iron skillet; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add butter, sour cream and egg; mix, using a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in raisins, buttermilk, and caraway seeds, if using, and mix until a sticky dough forms.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a floured bench scraper, form into a round loaf; using a sharp knife score a large "X" in the center.
• Place in prepared skillet and transfer to oven. Bake until loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. If top begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover with a piece of parchment paper-lined aluminum foil. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

MARTHA'S IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix milk and vinegar; let stand until thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in bran, seeds, and raisins.
• Add milk mixture; stir until dough just holds together but is still sticky. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Pat dough into a round loaf, about 7 inches in diameter. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Lightly dust top of loaf with flour. Using a sharp knife, score an X in top. Bake, rotating halfway through, until loaf is golden brown and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 70 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk. Using your hand, mix in the flour from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be soft but not wet and sticky.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface. Wash and dry your hands. Knead the dough lightly for a few seconds, then pat the dough into a round about 1 1/2 inches thick. Place it on a buttered baking sheet and using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross in the center of the dough reaching out all the way to the sides.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees, and continue to bake until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the bread sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes longer. Serve warm.

RICH IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and caraway seeds until well combined.
• Using a pastry cutter or two knives in scissor fashion, cut in butter until the mixture feels like coarse meal. Stir in raisins until evenly distributed.
• In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, and baking soda until well combined. Pour buttermilk mixture into the flour-and-butter mixture all at once, and stir with a fork until all the liquid is absorbed and the mixture begins to hold together. It should resemble a rough biscuit dough. Using your hands, press the dough into a round, dome-shaped loaf about 8 inches in diameter. Lift the loaf from the bowl, and transfer it to the prepared baking sheet.
• In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk and cream together. With a pastry brush, brush the egg wash over the loaf. With a sharp knife or razor, incise a cross, about 1/2 inch deep, into the top of the loaf. Transfer to the oven. Bake, rotating halfway through, until it is deep golden brown and a wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center, about 70 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer bread from the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool.