Irish Bread

Few dishes smell as heartwarming to me as freshly baked bread.  Fresh bread always makes me think of my childhood, having breakfast with my grandparents every morning before school.  It makes me think of my grandmother's kitchen, the warmth it gave us on cold and dark Canadian winter mornings.  I remember that my grandfather would always walk to the local bakery and buy a variety of breads, and my grandmother would slice up thick slices and put them in the oven to toast - just enough that each slice would be crispy on the outside, warm and tender on the inside.  And the table would have a delicious spread of homemade jams, marmelades, butter and my favourite - Extra smooth Peanut Butter!

I've never been to Ireland, so, I don't know how authentic this recipe actually is - (especially since I've altered it to my tastes), but it is simple and quick to make (no need to let the dough rise)... and again - a wonderful recipe to do with the help of children who always love to knead and shape the dough.

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil to grease the cookie sheet
4 cups of white flour + a little extra
2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of baking soda
1 3/4 of Buttermilk

Preheat the over to 220ºC and grease a cookie sheet with Vegetable oil.  Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl and make a well in the middle.  Add almost all of the Buttermilk.  Stir, at first with a wooden spoon, then mix with your hands.  The dough should be very malleable but not too damp.  It may be necessary to add a little extra buttermilk to get the desired consistency.

Knead the dough for a few more minutes on a floured surface until it is smooth.  Shape it into a ball about 20 cms in diameter and place it on the greased cookie sheet.  Cut an X on the surface of the ball of dough with a knife and place the cookie sheet on the middle rack in the oven.

Let bake for 20-25 mins until it is golden and until tapping the surface of it with your knuckles makes a hollow sounds.  Let cool on a wire rack and serve warm.

Want to see me make Irish Bread?  Watch my video.

Enjoy!