Tagged:  Bread

There are few things that bring me more satisfaction in the kitchen than pulling a warm, fresh loaf of bread from the oven. Most of the time, I make yeast-based breads, but I have also become quite fond of a number of quick breads that have secured themselves a permanent home in my recipe collection. One recipe that I’ve been dying to make for the longest time is a quintessential beer bread. In the past, I’ve made an Irish beer and cheese bread, as well as another beer and cheese bread with a long list of ingredients. While both were fabulous in every possible way, I’ve been looking for a straightforward, simple beer bread recipe. No frills, no excessive ingredient lists… just one bowl, a few ingredients, and done. This bread delivers and then some. It’s the perfect beer bread recipe to have on hand for those nights when you need something easy to serve with soup or stew… it’s also the perfect recipe to have on hand when you’re just flat-out craving carbs. This recipe is going to become your best friend.

While the bread itself is fabulous, the best part might be the buttery crust. Instead of incorporating melted butter into the batter for the bread, you drizzle it over the batter once it’s in the loaf pan. The result? The butter seeps all around the edges of the pan, creating a wonderful, buttery crust almost reminiscent of a deep-dish pizza. It’s truly fabulous and makes this recipe stand apart from other typical beer bread variations. The honey gives the bread a subtle hint of sweetness, which is only heightened when you serve it alongside homemade honey butter.

If you have 5 minutes to spare, you can get this bread into the oven. It’s quick, easy, and really… is there anything better than warm bread fresh from the oven slathered in butter?

One year ago: Italian Easter Bread
Two years ago: Peanut Butter Snickers Cookies

Yield: 1 (9-inch) loaf

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 50 to 60 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

A fabulous rustic honey-beer bread, perfect to serve alongside your favorite soup or stew.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 (12-ounce) bottle beer
3 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, the sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the beer and honey and stir with a rubber spatula until thoroughly combined.

3. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared loaf pan and bake until the loaf is golden brown and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature before slicing. Leftovers should be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes:

• While it is best to use bread flour if you have it, you may substitute all-purpose flour in its place.
• I would recommend using your favorite ale or lager-style beer for this recipe. Use one you enjoy drinking, as some of the flavor does come through in the bread.
• For a higher loaf, use an 8×4-inch loaf pan and increase the baking time accordingly.

Brown Eyed Baker

I’m trying to cover all of my heritage bases with Easter recipes this year  My mom’s side of the family is Italian and that is where I get the majority of my Easter recipes; things like Italian Easter Bread, Pigu, Bacon and Cheese Easter Bread and Italian Easter Pie. On my dad’s side of the family, my grandmother is Polish and my grandfather is Irish. I don’t know as much about those food traditions, but I’m trying to take the opportunity each year to learn more.  A few months ago, my grandma shared this recipe for Paska bread with me. She said she got it years ago from a woman she began chatting with at a department store. They talked about recipes and the woman took down my grandma’s address and said she would send her the family’s Paska recipe. Lo and behold, a few days later, a handwritten recipe showed up in my grandma’s mailbox. As someone who loves to talk about food and share recipes, I just love that story!

This Paska bread recipe is a traditional brioche dough recipe, enriched with egg yolks and sugar, then studded with golden raisins and baked up in loaf pans. I’ve seen some Paska breads shaped free-form in decorative designs, and you could definitely do that as well if you’d like. The raisins are optional and you could definitely omit them if you’d like (my mom hates raisins in her baked goods!).

Do you have any favorite ethnic Easter recipes? I’d love to learn more about traditional Easter food from different areas!

One year ago: My Favorite Florida Eats
Two years ago: Baked Doughnuts with Cinnamon Sugar
Three years ago: Japanese Hamani Menu for Cherry Blossom Festivals
Four years ago: Lasagne Verdi al Forno
Five years ago: Ambrosia Cupcakes

Yield: 3 (8-inch) loaves

Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

A traditional Eastern European Easter bread, Paska is a sweet, brioche-like dough that’s studded with golden raisins.

Ingredients:

2 cakes fresh yeast (or substitute
2 cups whole milk, warmed to 110 degrees F
7 to 8 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
5 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup golden raisins (optional)

For the Egg Wash:
1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, stir the yeast into the warm milk to dissolve and let sit for 5 minutes. Add 3 cups flour and mix with a wooden spoon. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free area until the dough has doubled in size.

2. If you choose to use the golden raisins, soak the raisins for 30 minutes in warm water, then drain and pat dry with paper towels before using.

3. Transfer the dough to the bowl of an electric mixer and add the sugar, melted butter, egg yolks, salt, vanilla, golden raisins and 4 cups of flour. Mix on low to medium-low speed until the dough comes together, adding more flour a tablespoon at a time, if needed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it forms a smooth dough, about 5 minutes, again adding more flour a tablespoons at a time, if needed. Divide the dough into three equal sections and shape into loaves, then transfer to three 8×4-inch greased loaf pans. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size.

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg wash.

5. Bake the loaves for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 40 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown. If the loaves are beginning to get too dark, place a tented or loose piece of foil over top. Allow the bread to cool for about 20 minutes in the pans, then turn the loaves onto a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap leftover bread in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes:

• This bread freezes well. Wrap baked loaves in plastic wrap and then in foil and store in the freezer. Alternatively, wrap loaves in plastic wrap then place in airtight freezer bags.
• If you are using dark, non-stick loaf pans, be sure to reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees F.

Brown Eyed Baker

Yesterday, I walked you through how to make a rye sourdough starter, which means that today we talk about the actual bread! I don’t know about you, but for me, rye bread was absolutely an acquired taste. I remember being a kid and being totally befuddled by my great aunt’s fondness for rye bread. I didn’t quite share her affinity for the bread, and feel bad for any adult family member who had to deal with me if a stray caraway seed found its way into my mouth. The atrocity! You’d think that I had swallowed battery acid. (I was such a treat!)

It took me a long, long time to even want to try rye bread, and I was probably in my late twenties by the time I realized that I maybe, actually, sort of liked it. I’m sure that corned beef, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing piled onto rye bread went a long way in swaying me to try it again. Once I realized it was actually quite good, I set about making my own. As I mentioned yesterday, I hit quite a few stumbling blocks on my way to this recipe, but I’m so elated to have finally conquered rye bread in my kitchen!

This version of sourdough rye bread is often referred to as “corn bread” because the word “corn” was used to describe any type of grain in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Russia, which are the areas where this bread originated. Can you believe that rye was first discovered in 500 A.D. and that dark rye bread was being eaten during the Middle Ages?! Talk about a classic!

This style of bread isn’t as light and fluffy as most commercial loaves of sandwich bread. Rather, it’s quite heavy and dense, and what I would consider moist (the recipe refers to it as “damp”). This means that each slice is substantial, which bodes well for a healthy slathering of butter on your morning toast.

It also makes an absolutely fantastic reuben sandwich.

(I’m a Pittsburgh girl, which means that I’ll always opt for coleslaw instead of sauerkraut on my sandwiches. See: Primanti Bros.)

Kitchen projects like this are what keep my baking heart ticking. The trial, the error, and then, finally, the fabulous feeling of something turning out just right. It’s a fun, satisfying experience… plus, there’s nothing more delicious than sweet kitchen success!

One year ago: New Orleans Beignets and Creole Shrimp and Grits
Two years ago: Blueberry Bagels
Three years ago: Oven-Fried Onion Rings with Dipping Sauce
Five years ago: Chicken and Dumplings

Yield: 2 small loaves

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

A recipe for Jewish rye bread – soft, moist and filled with caraway seeds.

Ingredients:

1½ tablespoons active dry yeast
1½ cups warm water (110 degrees F)
2 cups first clear flour
1½ cups rye flour
1½ cups Rye Sour Starter
1½ tablespoons salt
2½ tablespoons caraway seeds (optional, use more or less if you’d like)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until it starts to bubble and foam. Add the first clear flour, rye flour, rye sour starter, salt and caraway seeds. Stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly incorporated.

2. Turn the dough onto a well-floured work surface. Use a bowl scraper or dough cutter in one hand to help knead the soft, wet dough. Knead for 5 minutes by scraping, folding, pulling and stretching. The dough should have some elasticity and resist being stretched. Keep the dough soft, but if the dough does not feel elastic, add more first clear flour ¼ cup at a time, stretching and kneading with each addition. Continue kneading for another 3 minutes, keeping in mind that the wetter the dough, the better the bread. The amount of flour will vary depending on how stiff you made the rye sour starter.

3. Transfer the dough to a clean, wet bowl. Keeping your hands wet, pat the dough down and cover with a very thin film of water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot, allowing the dough to rise until it has doubled in volume, 45 to 60 minutes.

4. Prepare a baking sheet sprinkled with a mixture of cornmeal and rye flour (this is where the bread will be baked).

5. Wet a clean work surface with water. Keeping your hands wet, scoop out half of the dough and shape into a round, handling the dough gently so it doesn’t tear. Repeat with the second half of the dough. Allow the dough to stand no longer than 10 minutes; it can be placed in the oven without any standing time, and should not be proofed.

6. Place an empty broiler pan on the oven floor and preheat at 375 degrees F for 5 minutes.

7. Brush the loaves with water. Place the baking sheet holding the bread on the middle rack of the oven, or on an oven stone if you have one. Carefully add 6 to 8 ice cubes or 1 cup hot water to the broiler pan on the bottom of the oven and immediately close the oven door (be careful, as it will steam immediately).

8. Bake for 5 minutes, then remove the broiler pan. Slide the bread out and, with a skewer, make 10 to 12 holes all around the crust of each loaf, then return the bread to the oven. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 10 minutes, then make holes once more and brush again with water.

9. Continue to bake until the crust is hard and unyielding to gentle pressure, which can take up to 1 hour or longer (mine took about 50 minutes). The timing will vary depending on the amount of moisture in the dough. The bread is done when tapping on the bottom with your fingertips results in a hollow sound and the top and sides are hard. If you have a stone, you can transfer the bread to the stone at this point and continue baking for an additional 10 to 15 minutes if you prefer crustier loaves.

10. Remove the bread from the oven, brush the tops with more water and let cool on a wire rack. The bread will keep for up to 1 week wrapped in plastic wrap, and also freezes well.

Notes:

• First clear flour is a high-protein, high-mineral wheat flour that is used by many bakeries for signature Jewish-style rye bread. I purchased mine from King Arthur Flour.
• A possible substitute for first clear flour is 1½ cups all-purpose flour and ⅓ cup cake flour, but the cookbook author notes that the result won’t be quite as good.
• The book recommends using white rye flour, which I also purchased from King Arthur Flour.

Brown Eyed Baker

As they say, the third time’s the charm. Or, is it the fourth? Fifth?

I have been at odds with rye bread for years now. Years. After enjoying a fresh loaf of rye bread from a Jewish deli in Florida more than three years ago, I got the itch to make my own. Having made tons of yeast bread in the past, I thought there would be nothing to it. I was in for a rude awakening… an awakening that took the form of multiple failed attempts at a rye starter. Frustration mounted, and I put the project on the back burner for quite some time. A few months ago, I decided to try again. This time, I did what I should have done in the first place – I went straight to the source. Since I wanted to make Jewish rye bread, I figured the place to find the best recipe would be in a Jewish cookbook. Since I happened to have one that had been sitting on my shelf for quite some time unused, I busted it open. Sure enough, there was a recipe for Jewish rye bread. I followed the instructions to a “T” and didn’t run into any problems. I feel like the rye bread fairy godmother waved a magic wand. Finally, success!

Since the process to mix together the starter for this rye bread is somewhat involved and takes multiple days, I thought it would be easier to break the recipe down into the starter process, and then the actual mixing of the dough and baking the bread. Below you will find step-by-step instructions (with photos) on how to create a rye sour starter, which provides the bread with its soft texture and immense flavor.

Tomorrow I will share the bread recipe with you, so stay tuned!

One year ago: Bourbon Bread Pudding
Two years ago: Peanut Butter Cup Crunch Brownie Bars and Chocolate Malted Whopper Cookies
Three years ago: Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Glaze
Four years ago: Ham and Split Pea Soup
Five years ago: Almost Fudge Gateau

This sour starter is used for making Jewish rye bread.

Ingredients:

Rye Sour Starter:
½ cup rye flour
⅛ teaspoon active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1 tablespoon crushed caraway seeds
1 teaspoon minced onion

Stage One:
½ cup water
1½ cups rye flour
1 recipe Sour Starter

Stage Two:
½ cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1 cup rye flour

Stage Three:
½ cup water (use warm water if sour has been refrigerated)
1 cup rye flour, or more

Directions:

1. Begin the Rye Sour Starter: Combine the rye flour, yeast, warm water, crushed caraway seeds and minced onion in a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. The mixture should have a thin, soupy consistency. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to stand in a warm spot until bubbly and fermented. It can be left for up to 24 hours.

2. Prepare Stage One: In a large bowl, combine the water, 1¼ cups of the flour, and the starter; stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. The dough should pull slightly and may start to come away from the sides of the bowl. Wipe down the sides of the bowl and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup flour over the entire surface of the sour. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand until doubled in size and the floured top appears cracked with openings spread widely apart. This could take 4 to 8 hours (avoid letting the mixture collapse).

3. Prepare Stage Two: To the Stage One sour, add the water and ¾ cup of the flour; mix until smooth. Wipe down the sides of the bowl and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup flour over the entire surface of the sour. Allow to rise in a warm area for 4 to 8 hours, or until doubled in size.

4. Prepare Stage Three: To the Stage Two sour, add the water and the 1 cup flour. Mix until smooth. Add more flour, ¼ cup at at time, until a dough-like consistency is reached. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm spot until doubled in size, 4 to 8 hours. At this point, the starter is ready to be used in the bread.

Notes:

• The caraway seeds can be ground in a coffee or spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.
• When preparing Stages One and Two, the object is to make a thick consistency as close as possible to that of a soft dough. If the mixture is too soupy, add more flour ¼ cup at a time and mix until smooth.
• It is recommended that Stage One and Two be made on the same day, the second stage refrigerated overnight, and the third stage prepared the morning of baking. If you intend on baking the bread first thing in the morning, then prepare the third stage the evening before, so it can rise slowly all night and be ready in the morning.
• The sour starter can be refrigerated; it is recommended that it be stirred down every 3 to 4 days if it hasn’t been used. Every 10 to 12 days, dispose of half of the starter and refresh it by mixing in equal amounts of rye flour and water. If there is some discoloration on top, it can be skimmed off.

Brown Eyed Baker

If the prospect of filling your belly with nothing more than carbs and cheese excites you as much as it excites me, then you need to run, not walk, into the kitchen and make this bread. I am the certified queen of the carbs and cheese combo. I survived much of high school on cheese sandwiches. I can quite easily make a meal out of saltines and cheese. Give me a loaf of bread and a hunk of cheese and I’m all set. Needless to say, when I started seeing pictures of cheesy pull-apart bread all over Pinterest, I could hardly contain myself. Imagine cheesy garlic bread on steroids… that you can pull apart with your fingers. Yes, it’s every bit as amazing as you’re imagining it to be.

The best part about this little gem? It’s seriously the easiest thing to prepare.

Take one loaf of broad… cut it up into a grid pattern… pour a mixture of melted butter, garlic and scallions into all of the crevices, cover with foil and bake.

Take it out of the oven… stuff and cover it in shredded cheeses and pop it back into the oven, uncovered.

Voila! Crusty, cheesy awesomeness, right on your kitchen counter.

You don’t need me to tell you that you won’t be able to stop eating this. I dare you to try. Three of us demolished this entire loaf and, truth be told, it would have been very easy for only two of us to do it. In situations like this, it’s a good thing that I was taught to share at an early age.

I’m looking forward to consuming many, many more loaves of this cheesy bread. You owe it to yourself and those you feed to make at least one!

Two years ago: Seven Layer Dip
Three years ago: French Onion Soup

Yield: 4 to 8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

This cheesy pull-apart bread has been made in countless forms; this cheesy garlic version is my favorite.

Ingredients:

1 large loaf or boule-style Italian bread (Sourdough or French could also work)
½ cup butter (unsalted or salted is fine), melted
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a sheet of heavy-duty foil with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

2. Cut a cross-hatch pattern into the top of the bread by slicing ½-inch grid lines into the bread, stopping about ¼-inch from the bottom of the bread so that it stays together. Place the bread on the piece of foil that has been sprayed.

3. Stir together the melted butter, garlic and scallions.

4. Gently separate the bread with your fingers, then spoon the butter mixture in all of the seams, making sure it is evenly distributed among the whole loaf. Wrap the loaf up in the foil and place on a baking stone or directly on the oven rack and bake for 10 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.

6. Open the foil and sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the bread. There will be a lot of cheese, so try to push down as much as you can in between all of the crevices in the bread. Leave the foil open and return it to the oven. Bake until the cheese is completely melted, bubbling and starting to brown on top, about 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving, then dig in!

Brown Eyed Baker

Last week, I had a bowl of browning bananas on the kitchen counter staring me in the face. I was about to make my grandma’s banana bread recipe, which is my all-time favorite, but at the last minute decided to try something new. Next to chocolate, banana might be my next preferred ingredient to eat with peanut butter. As a teenager, I would often eat peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Within the last year, I started eating a banana alongside a scoop of peanut butter for breakfast on mornings when I’m planning on going for a long walk, or to play tennis (obviously, in the summer!). I decided it was high-time that I infused my banana bread with some peanut butter and oh, while I was at it, throw some chocolate in there, too!

This is a very simple quick bread recipe, which consists of whisking the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another, and then folding them together. It takes less than 10 minutes to get it all mixed together, and then into the oven it goes! One of the things I love so much about baking is how many times the simplest recipes can provide the coziest feelings and warmest memories. Banana bread is high on my list of comfort foods; eating a slice reminds me of sitting around my grandma’s table with family, talking, laughing and forgetting the time.

Whether you have fond family memories that revolve around banana bread, or you simply love the combination of banana and peanut butter, this is a banana bread version that you don’t want to skip! You can even play around with the ingredients here – substitute different nut butters, use nuts (or bacon – Elvis!) instead of chocolate chips, or play around with different types chips. The thing I love most about simple, comforting recipes is the ease with which they can be adapted.

What would your ultimate combination be?

One year ago: Cherry Coke Float Cupcakes
Five years ago: Chewy Chocolate-White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Yield: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

A recipe for an amazing banana bread infused with peanut butter and studded with chocolate chips.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 medium bananas, mashed
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
⅓ cup buttermilk
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan and then line with parchment paper so that it hangs over the two long sides.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the banana, peanut butter, sugars, buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and fold together with a rubber spatula until completely combined and there are no spots with raw flour. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.

5. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top into an even layer. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick or thin knife inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. If your bread appears to be browning too quickly, place a tented piece of foil over it (I did this at the 45-minute mark).

6. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. The cooled bread should be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap; it can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Brown Eyed Baker

The massive zucchini rush (too bad it’s not a gold rush, right?!) has slowed down in the garden, but I’m still picking at least one every couple of days. That’s more than enough zucchini to eat and still have some left for baking experiments! I’ve done my fair share of zucchini bread, from a traditional version, to my grandma’s recipe with pineapple, walnuts and dates, and even zucchini cornbread. While I have seen tons of recipes for zucchini bread fused with chocolate, I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. Believe it or not, given my disdain for most vegetables, I actually like zucchini bread… And we all know I positively love chocolate, but for some reason I just couldn’t envision these two worlds mashing together in a positive way. It’s a good thing I got desperate with the zucchini that was sitting around and wanted to try a new recipe, or else I wouldn’t have finally given in to the chocolate and zucchini marriage. I definitely went into this recipe skeptical and was proven way wrong on all accounts. This bread is utterly amazing – it’s rich, sweet, moist and oozing with chocolate flavor. I am a skeptic no more. Bring on the chocolate zucchini goodness!

I had been poking around for a chocolate zucchini bread recipe for awhile before stumbling across this one. My mom said she remembered my grandma making some chocolate zucchini loaves on a few occasions, but we couldn’t find an actual recipe. I found a few others online that didn’t look quite chocolate-y enough for my very high-maintenance (read: like a 5-year-old’s) taste buds, and then last week this beauty popped up in my Google reader. I always love to see what the folks over at King Arthur Flour are baking up since they’re my favorite stop for ingredients and baking tools, and they knocked it out of the park with this bread. The chocolate flavor is deep and rich, the bread stays moist thanks to the zucchini, and the chocolate chips give it an extra oomph of chocolate flavor and really add to the texture. Almost everyone who tasted this agreed that it tasted like an incredible piece of chocolate cake. We even sliced some for dessert and topped it with vanilla ice cream! You could also go the route of my Double-Chocolate Loaf with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Spread and eat it for breakfast. Both are perfectly acceptable serving options in my book!

Can I still claim that I’m eating my veggies when my veggies are baked into a vat of chocolate? I say yes!

Three years ago: Tin Roof Ice Cream
Five years ago: Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Yield: One 8×4-inch loaf

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 65 to 75 minutes

1 & 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8×4-inch loaf pan; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil, brown sugar, honey and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and use a rubber spatula to gently fold the batter together until almost no flour remains. Stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips, ensuring they are evenly distributed.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 65 to 75 minutes, or until a toothpick (or thin knife) inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing. Store leftovers at room temperature, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.

(Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour)

Email | Print

Tags: Quick Breads & Biscuits, Summer

Brown Eyed Baker

Yesterday I shared with you a traditional Italian Easter Bread recipe from my Chief Culinary Consultant’s family; today I share with you my grandma’s famous bacon and cheese Easter bread. Growing up, this was by far my favorite Easter recipe in our family. (It should come as no surprise that I love the combination of bacon and cheese nearly as much as peanut butter and chocolate.) Between this and her pigues, I think I sustained myself with dough, cheese, and bacon for the entire week of Easter. A pretty delicious week, no doubt. My grandma always referred to this as “bacon and cheese Easter pizza” and I have seen it mentioned that way in a few other places as well, but I couldn’t find any background regarding the name. All I know is that swirls and swirls of bacon and cheese packed into a light, tender dough is pretty much my savory heaven. My mom always jokes that my grandma’s knack for baking skipped a generation to me, and the more that I work my way through her recipes, the more I realize how similar our tastes are. We are definitely kitchen soul sisters, my grandma and I.

This is a fairly simple bread to bake up, as it only requires one rise and the dough is very forgiving. Once the dough is mixed together (you can do it by hand or with a mixer), you roll it out very thin, into a large rectangle, then sprinkle it with copious amounts of Romano cheese and bacon. I chose to use peppered bacon because I always feel like sharp cheese flavors and bacon pair well with pepper, but you can certainly use regular bacon, my grandma always did.

Once you have the cheese and bacon in place, you roll it up jelly roll-style into a thick log. I never knew this, but my mom told me that my grandma always baked these loaves in pie plates, which helped them keep their round, spiral shape. Genius! You very gently coil the roll of dough into a pie plate and let it raise until about doubled in size. Then all that’s left is to bake and eat!

Below is my grandma’s handwritten recipe for this bread. I just love reading through her old written recipes, and they never fail to give me a chuckle each and every time. This one in particular I love for a few reasons…

First, there are no directions. They are not located on the back of the card – they don’t exist. I think most ladies back in the day just knew how to do things like make bread, so you didn’t need instructions for doing so, you just needed ingredients for different variations.

Second, this is a recipe for “Bacon + Cheese Pizza”. Do you see an ingredient listing for cheese? One of the two primary ingredients? Nope. I asked my mom earlier this week why it was missing and how much was needed. She said it was because my grandma never measured the cheese, she just sprinkled it on the dough until she felt like there was enough.

Lastly, and quite possibly my favorite, is the measurement of “1 whiskey glass oil”. I love it! I wanted to be as authentic as possible when making the recipe, so I actually pulled out an old whiskey glass that came from my grandma’s house, and measured the oil in there. I think she probably smiled at me for doing so

When my mom got to sample the bread, she said that the house smelled just like my grandma’s house used to smell the week of Easter, and that the bread tasted exactly like hers. That’s the best compliment I could ever receive. To be able to recreate something of my grandma’s, that I’ve loved since I was a little girl, is a great feeling. And I know she would love that I am sharing her recipe with all of you.

I hope you enjoy this little pillow of bacon and cheese heaven as much as I do!

One year ago: Italian Pasta Salad
Two years ago: Triple-Chocolate Cookies
Three years ago: Banana Cream Pie
Four years ago: Fresh Orange Cream Tart

Grandma’s Bacon and Cheese Easter Bread

Yield: 2 loaves

Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes | Bake Time: 30 to 40 minutes

8 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
4½ teaspoons (2 packages) active dry yeast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, melted
6 eggs, lightly beaten
5 cups grated Romano cheese
3 (12-ounce) packages peppered bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 tablespoons butter, melted (for brushing the loaves)

1. Place the flour in a large mixing bowl; set aside.

2. Heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it is warm to the touch, but not hot. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the temperature of the milk should be between 110 and 115 degrees F. Once the milk reaches the correct temperature, remove from the heat, add the yeast, stir, and let sit for 10 minutes.

3. Add the milk and yeast mixture to the flour and begin to mix it into a dough (it will be shaggy at this point). Next, add the vegetable oil and melted shortening and continue to mix. Now, add the eggs and continue mixing until the dough forms a rough ball.

4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it, adding more flour as necessary, until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Divide the dough into two and cover one half with a dish towel while you work with the other.

5. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it out very thin, into a large rectangle about 12×24-inches. Sprinkle the dough with half of the cheese, and then with half of the bacon, leaving a half inch border around all of the edges.

6. Starting with a long end facing you, roll the dough up into a tight cylinder jelly roll-style, pinching the seams and ends to seal. Once you have finished rolling the dough, gently coil it into a spiral into a pie plate. Repeat with the second piece of dough.

7. Once both loaves have been shaped and placed into pie plates, brush them with melted butter and then cover loosely with plastic wrap. Place in a draft-free area and allow to rise until almost doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours, depending on the temperature and humidity.

8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the bread until golden brown on top, about 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool to warm room temperature before slicing them (ideally, let them cool completely, but sometimes I just can’t wait!). Leftovers should be wrapped in plastic wrap and can be kept at room temperature for up to 5 days. The bread can also be frozen – be sure sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and then in aluminum foil.

Email | Print

Tags: Easter, Spring, Yeast Breads & Rolls

Brown Eyed Baker

I like to think that I am usually pretty “with it” when it comes to Italian food traditions, having come from an Italian family with a grandma who lived to cook and bake. She had so many holiday traditions, but when my Chief Culinary Consultant’s dad started talking about his Nana’s Easter bread, with orange and anise, I was befuddled. This traditional Italian bread and I had never crossed paths. It seemed inconceivable that my grandma hadn’t ever made it, but I definitely had never eaten it. There was no question that I needed to get my fill of Italian Easter Bread, immediately. Not 24 hours after we pulled back into Pittsburgh last week, my CCC’s dad touched down for a long weekend to visit with some family. On his agenda for the weekend was making his Nana’s Easter bread recipe. I was excited to finally try some of this bread, and learn more about the recipe. First of all, and most importantly, the bread is fabulous. I may have eaten close to a loaf all on my own. It’s a rich, sweet bread – much like a brioche – and is flavored with orange and anise. He was generous enough to share with me his family’s recipe so that I could make it on my own and share it with all of you. Precisely one day after he left, I covered my kitchen in flour and cranked out some loaves of my own. They turned out amazing, and I’m sure this will become an Easter traditional of my own!

I did some reading up on Italian Easter Bread recipes before tackling this one, and from what I can tell, most all are flavored in some way with citrus (orange or lemon) and anise oil and/or anise seeds. Usually the loaves are braided and have colored Easter eggs nestled into the braids in various spots. I am not big into coloring Easter eggs, so I skipped that part, but went the traditional route with the braided loaves and sweet glaze.

This is a traditional 2-rise bread recipe. First the dough is mixed together, and left to rise until doubled…

Then it is shaped, and left to rise again before it is baked…

After hearing about the Italian Easter Bread, I had asked my mom if, in fact, my grandma had ever made anything like it, and she said she couldn’t remember her making something like that during Easter. Fast forward to my mom seeing and tasting the finished bread that I made. Aha! A light bulb! She said that my grandma did, indeed, make this exact bread, and even remembered that she would set eggs in the dough. However, my grandfather was the only one in the family that really enjoyed the bread, so when he passed away, my grandma stopped making it. I was only 5 years old at the time, so even if I had tried it at some point before then, I likely wouldn’t have remembered. I was bummed that I had never been introduced to it, but thrilled to know that it had been a part of my family’s traditions at some point, and that it was something my grandpap loved.

For a true bit of nostaglia, below is the original handwritten recipe (half in English, half in Italian, as far as I can tell) from my Chief Culinary Consultant’s great-grandmother. I just love seeing things like that!

Stay tuned tomorrow – I will be sharing another Easter bread recipe, this one from my grandma, and it’s a savory version. I think you’re going to loooove it!

In the meantime, buy some oranges – you’re going to want this traditional Italian Easter Bread on your table come Sunday!

One year ago: Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Two years ago: Easter Egg Sugar Cookies
Four years ago: Gooey Chocolate Cakes

Nana Latona’s Italian Easter Bread Recipe

Yield: 2 huge loaves or 4 medium-sized loaves

Prep Time: 2½ hours | Bake Time: 35 minutes

For the Bread Dough:
8 cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups whole milk
½ cup granulated sugar
2 oranges, zested & juiced
4½ teaspoons (2 envelopes) active dry yeast
1 cup margarine, melted
8 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon anise oil

For the Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup whole milk
Sprinkles, if desired

1. Place the flour in a large mixing bowl; set aside.

2. Heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it is warm to the touch, but not hot. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the temperature of the milk should be between 110 and 115 degrees F.

3. While the heat is warming, place the sugar in a small bowl and add the orange zest. With your fingertips, rub the zest into the sugar until it is completely incorporated and the sugar is moistened.

4. Once the milk reaches the correct temperature, stir in the sugar and zest mixture, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the yeast, stir, and let sit for 10 minutes.

5. Add the milk and yeast mixture to the flour and begin to mix it into a dough (it will be shaggy at this point).

6. Next, add the melted margarine and continue to mix. Now, add the orange juice to the dough and mix to combine.

7. In a small bowl, use a fork to lightly beat together the eggs, salt, and anise oil. Add to the dough and continue mixing.

8. At this point, you may need to add more flour to the dough, depending on how much juice you get out of your oranges. I added quite a bit more to get the dough to come together. Once you have a sticky ball of dough formed, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is soft and elastic. It will remain slightly tacky.

9. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turning to coat, and cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap. Place in a draft-free area and allow to rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

10. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and divide in two. Divide each half into two (you will have four pieces of dough). We will work with one pair, and then the other. Roll two pieces of dough into 24-inch long ropes. Loosely twist the ropes together. Transfer the braided rope to one of the prepared baking sheets and bring the ends together to form a ring, twisting and pinching the ends together to seal. Repeat with the remaining two pieces of dough so that you have two circular, braided loaves. Brush the tops of each with melted butter, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until nearly doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

11. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake one at a time (unless you have the oven capacity to correctly bake both at the same time) until golden brown on top, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

12. Once the breads are cooled to room temperature, you can glaze them (if you desire). Whisk together the powdered sugar and the milk, adding more if necessary to reach the desired consistency. Use a pastry brush to brush the glaze onto the top and sides of the bread, and decorate with sprinkles. The bread is best served at room temperature. If you have leftovers, wrap well in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Email | Print

Tags: Easter, Italian, Spring, Yeast Breads & Rolls

Brown Eyed Baker

English muffins have long been one of my favorite breakfast foods. My dad loved them, and so we always had them in the house growing up. He enjoyed his toasted and slathered with butter and his favorite jelly. It didn’t take me long to learn that English muffins were yet another vessel perfect for delivering peanut butter and jelly into my mouth. I got away from eating English muffins for breakfast during college, but recently my Chief Culinary Consultant and I have been on an English muffin kick. My preference is still toasted with peanut butter and jelly, but we’ve also been making a lot of sandwiches on them. A couple of years ago I finally tackled homemade English muffins and I keep meaning to make a few batches to keep in the freezer. In the meantime, though, I stumbled across this recipe for English muffin bread – the flavor and texture of English muffins in an easy-to-make bread.

Quite possibly the best part about this bread is how relatively quick and easy it is to throw together. For a yeast bread, you can’t get much easier or foolproof than this recipe. Once you get the dough mixed together, you beat it at high speed and then transfer it to your loaf pan. The fast mixing of the dough helps to aerate it, which is what gives it all of those nooks and crannies!

No kneading. Only one rise. No more than an hour. Simple!

The bread takes less than 30 minutes to bake, so you can easily have the bread completely done, start to finish, in less than 2 hours. You pretty much can’t beat that for a homemade, yeast-based bread. If you haven’t experimented with yeast yet, this would be a great place to start. You don’t need to worry about kneading, or multiple rises. A great beginner bread recipe!

For as much as I love English muffins with peanut butter and jelly, I think I was channeling my dad with this loaf. After experimenting with it plain, used for a sandwich, toasted with butter, toasted with butter and jelly, and toasted with peanut butter and jelly, I came to my conclusion. I definitely preferred it either toasted with just butter or butter and jelly. Of course, you can’t beat warm, fresh-from-the-oven bread slathered with butter. That’s the best.

What’s your favorite way to eat an English muffin?

One year ago: Waldorf Salad
Two years ago: Super Mario Brothers Birthday Cake
Three years ago: Blueberry Crumb Cake
Four years ago: Ode to the Golden Brioche Loaf

English Muffin Bread

Yield: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes | Bake Time: 25 minutes

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1 cup milk
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
Cornmeal, to sprinkle in pan

1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and instant yeast in a large mixing bowl.

2. Combine the milk, water, and oil in a separate, microwave-safe bowl, and heat to between 120°F and 130°F. Be sure to stir the liquid well before measuring its temperature; you want an accurate reading. If you don’t have a thermometer, the liquid will feel quite hot (hotter than lukewarm), but not so hot that it would be uncomfortable as bath water.

3. Pour the hot liquid over the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl. Beat at high speed for 1 minute. The dough will be very soft.

4. Lightly grease an 8½” x 4½” loaf pan, and sprinkle the bottom and sides with cornmeal. Scoop the soft dough into the pan, leveling it in the pan as much as possible.

5. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with nonstick cooking spray, cover the dough, and let the dough rise until it’s just barely crowned over the rim of the pan. When you look at the rim of the pan from eye level, you should see the dough, but it shouldn’t be more than ¼-inch over the rim. This will take about 45 minutes to 1 hour, if the liquid was heated to the correct temperature and the kitchen isn’t very cold.

6. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 400°F.

7. Remove the plastic wrap, and bake the bread for 22 to 27 minutes, until it’s golden brown and its interior temperature is 190°F.

8. Remove the bread from the oven, and after 5 minutes, turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. Let the bread cool completely before slicing.

(Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour)

Email | Print

Tags: Yeast Breads & Rolls

Brown Eyed Baker

For a carbaholic like myself, there aren’t too many things that can top a cheesy loaf of bread. All you need to do is watch how quickly I can devour things such as pepperoni bread, my grandma’s bacon and cheese bread, cheesy breadsticks with pizza, and the list goes on and on. Suffice it to say, you can’t put bread and cheese in front of me and not expect me to inhale it like I had just suffered the rigors of one of those survivor men shows. A few years ago, I made a three cheese beer bread that was darn near awesome. It had loads of cheese, tons of flavor, and, of course, beer. Last year, Krissy over at Make It Naked gave me a heads up that she had adapted my recipe to make it Irish-themed for St. Patrick’s Day. Brilliant! I loved her version and couldn’t wait to give it a try myself once the holiday rolled around again. So, here we are!

This is an amazing loaf of beer cheese bread that includes Irish ale as well Dubliner, an Irish cheese spiked with stout that adds a really nice tang and sharpness to the bread. It’s a perfect way to work Irish beer into a recipe that doesn’t necessitate busting out any Guinness. I found Smithwick’s at the local grocery store, but if you have a particular favorite, feel free to use it, just make sure that you use an ale, not a stout. A stout would be too heavy and overpowering in this recipe. I found the Dubliner cheese in the specialty cheese section of the local grocery store. If you are unable to find any Irish cheese just increase equal amounts of the other two cheddar cheeses.

This bread is heaven, in a nutshell. Aside from all of the cheese and the beer, it has robust flavor and just a hint of spice. It’s the perfect backdrop for endless variations depending on your personal tastes. I am already brainstorming some ideas for an Italian version of the bread that I can’t wait to share with you. In the meantime, I encourage you to bake this up for St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow. It would make a fabulous breakfast bread. You know, to eat alongside your first green beer of the day.

One year ago: Homemade Shamrock Shake
Two years ago: Irish Soda Bread Scones
Three years ago: Irish Soda Bread
Five years ago: Super Sugar Cookies

Irish Beer and Cheese Bread

Yield: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Bake Time: 55 to 65 minutes

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
8 ounces extra sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
4 ounces Dubliner cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
3¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon white pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1¼ cups Irish ale (I used Smithwick’s)
¾ cup sour cream
1 egg
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

2. Measure out ¼ cup of the sharp cheddar, ¼ cup of the white cheddar and 2 tablespoons of the Dubliner and reserve for topping the bread later.

3. In a large bowl, combine the remaining cheese, the flour, baking powder, dry mustard, salt, cayenne, white pepper, and garlic. Stir to ensure that all of the cheese is coated with flour.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the beer, sour cream, egg, and Worcestershire sauce.

5. Pour the beer mixture into the cheese and flour mixture. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix the dough until just combined. Spoon the dough into the prepared loaf pan, using a spatula to even out the top. Mix together the reserved cheeses and sprinkle evenly on top.

6. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean (or, if you have an instant-read thermometer, the middle of the bread reaches 190 degrees F).

7. Remove bread from the oven, place on a wire rack, and cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edges of the pan and continue to cool. When the bottom of the pan can be touched, turn the bread out and let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

(Recipe adapted from Make It Naked)

Email | Print

Tags: Irish, Quick Breads & Biscuits, St. Patrick’s Day

Brown Eyed Baker

Each year around St. Patrick’s Day I take the opportunity that the annual holiday provides to experiment with a different type of Irish Soda Bread. It seems there is an infinite number of adaptations and spins you can put on the traditional Irish bread. I started out with a traditional, albeit a bit Americanized, version of Irish Soda Bread, and then went on to make Irish Soda Bread Scones and Irish Brown Bread, all of which have been incredibly delicious. This year, I started my search for something different, and before long my eyes were fixated on a recipe that threw Irish whiskey into the mix. Not only do you steep the raisins for the bread in whiskey, but you also made a whiskey butter to serve alongside the bread. Hold the phone. My search stopped, I grabbed the bottle of Jameson on the liquor shelf, and got down to business.

The two key components to the whiskey aspect of this Irish Whiskey Soda Bread are the whiskey-soaked raisins and the whiskey butter. First, let’s talk the raisins. While you can soak them for as little as 30 minutes or an hour, things only get better the longer you let them soak. I let mine go for quite a few hours and the result was incredibly plump raisins, thanks to the long infusion of Jameson.

When you drain the raisins, save the whiskey that you soaked them in and use that to get to work on your whiskey butter. The butter is very simple to make – you combine a little of the leftover whiskey and some sugar in the microwave, then let it cool down. Once cool, you blend the mixture into room temperature butter to completely combine. You can form the butter into a “stick” of butter or store in a plastic container or ramekin.

Hello Jameson-infused butter. This is the perfect complement to the Irish soda bread – it will certainly give your breakfast a kick!

I have always enjoyed the combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour in Irish soda breads, as I feel it gives the bread an extra bit of texture and heartiness, and the same holds true for this bread. Not only do I love that the raisins in this bread are whiskey-soaked, but I love how many of them there are. No skimping on the raisins here! You get a mouthful in each and every bite. I know many of you might be wondering how prominent the whiskey flavor actually is here. The bread, on its own, does not have a whiskey flavor. You get a bit of it from the raisins, but probably a 1 to 2 on a scale from 1 to 10. The real kick comes from the butter. It is no doubt a whiskey-infused butter and the flavor comes through loud and clear. I think a moderate smear of the butter on the warm butter is absolutely spectacular and such a wonderful combination of flavors, but if you’re not wanting in-your-face whiskey flavor, you might want to skip the butter. (If you want to eliminate whiskey altogether, you can soak the raisins in water to get them to plump up a bit before you mix them into the bread. But unless you can’t have alcohol for religious or medical reasons, I strongly recommend the whiskey. It is a holiday, after all )

So crack open that bottle of Jameson, gather some raisins, and get yourself ready for one heck of a breakfast treat. Or lunch. Or a snack. Or dessert. Whenever you decide to eat it, you are definitely in for a real treat. We blew through this in no time, and I have a feeling you will, too.

One year ago: Guinness-Milk Chocolate Ice Cream
Two years ago: St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Cookies
Three years ago: Braised Beef with Mushrooms and Cabernet Sauce
Four years ago: Russian Grandmothers’ Apple Pie-Cake
Five years ago: Texas Sheet Cake

Irish Whiskey Soda Bread with Irish Whiskey Butter

Yield: 1 round loaf

Prep Time: 1 hour | Bake Time: 30 minutes

For the Irish Whiskey Soda Bread:
1 cup raisins
1 cup Irish whiskey
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup + 1 tablespoon buttermilk

For the Irish Whiskey Butter:
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons Irish whiskey (reserved from soaking the raisins)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

2. Combine the raisins and whiskey in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmer, remove from heat, cover, and steep for at least 1 hour. When finished, drain the raisins and reserve the whiskey to use in the whiskey butter.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, and salt. Use a pastry blender or your finger tips to blend the butter into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs are formed. Most of the butter should be about the size of small peas, with a few larger pieces throughout. Stir in the whiskey-soaked raisins. With a wooden spoon, stir in the buttermilk just until the dry ingredients are moistened and the dough comes together.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead lightly until the dough is smooth, but still slightly sticky. Use as little extra flour as necessary to knead the dough.

5. Pat the dough into a 6-inch circle. Place the dough circle onto the prepared baking sheet and score the top of the dough ½-inch deep to form a cross.

6. Bake for 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 190 degrees F in the center of the loaf. Remove to a cooling rack. If you plan to serve the bread warm, you can cover it with a towel to keep it warm. Any leftover bread can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.

7. While the bread bakes, prepare the Irish Whiskey Butter. Microwave the whiskey and sugar together for 20 seconds, and then allow to cool to room temperature. Place the softened butter in a medium bowl, and beat in the whiskey mixture a little at a time, until completely incorporated. You can place the butter in an airtight container or wrap into a log with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

(Recipe adapted from Yummly)

Email | Print

Tags: Irish, Quick Breads & Biscuits, St. Patrick’s Day

Brown Eyed Baker