Irish Soda Bread

Thank you Camille for finding, testing, and sharing this recipe with me!

Authentic Irish Soda Bread Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit so that it is ready for your bread straight away. You will need the following ingredients to make authentic

Irish Soda Bread

4 1/2 cups of flour
1 egg
¼ cup of sugar
3 teaspoons of baking powder
½ a teaspoon of baking soda
¼ teaspoon of salt
1 stick of softened butter (about ¼ of a pound)
2 cups of buttermilk
1 cup or so of raisins (you can use regular or golden raisins)

* Butter a cookie sheet (or some flat pan) and lightly flour it.

* Mix together in a large mixing bowl the flour, sugar, baking soda and baking powder.

* Cut in softened butter into the flour mixture.

* Stir in raisins.

* In a separate bowl lightly beat the egg into the buttermilk.

* Add the egg and butter milk mixture into the flour mixture by hand, mixing in a little at a time and being careful to avoid over mixing.

* Turn out on a lightly floured board and briefly knead to form a smooth dough.

* Shape into a high, round ball.

* Place onto a baking pan.

* Slash a cross or x shape across the top of the dough.

* Bake at 350F 50 to 60 minutes.

* It is done when it is nicely browned. Tap to see if it sounds hollow if so it is done.

*** The only thing I really changed on here was the flour. It was SO sticky it clearly needed more. So it was 4 cups. I'm guessing I added about 1/2 cup more. I just did it until I could actually get a "smooth" ball.

Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake

from Kitty

1c butter
1 3/4 c sugar
4 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 t almond extract
3 c flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 can pie filling

Cream butter and sugar, add beaten eggs and flavorings, beat well. Add flour, salt and baking powder. Mix well. Spread 2/3 dough in jelly roll pan, spread pie filling over dough. Top with remaining dough. Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool. Drizzle frosting over top

Frosting

3 T milk
1 1/2 - 2 c powdered sugar
1 T melted butter
1 T vanilla (Kitty used almond)

Chocolate Pear Bread

I got this recipe out of the newspaper! SOOOO yummy!!

1c buttermilk

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 c butter, softened

1 c sugar

2 large eggs

1 3/4 c all purpose flour

1/2 c coco

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 riped peeled, core removed pear chopped

1/2 c chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease loaf pan and set aside. Measure buttermilk into small bowl and stir in baking soda. Set aside.

Cream 1/2 c butter in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed. Add eggs one at a time beating after each addition. Stir in buttermilk and soda mixture. Sift coco, cinnamon, baking pwerder adn salt. Add to creamed mixture in bowl blending well. Fold in pears and walnuts.

Turn batter into pan and bake for 1 hour. Remove from pan after cooling for 15 minutes.

****TIPS****

* set timer for 45 minutes and begin checking for doneness then

* toasted nuts are great in this

* a large apple makes a great substitute

* SUPER yummy served with chocolate honey butter!

Chocolate Honey Butter

1/2 c butter softened

2 T chocolate syrup

2 T honey

1/4 c powdered sugar

Combine all ingrediants in bowl and beat until light and fluffy