Easy Irish-American Soda Bread and Brown Bread Recipes
A blog about Irish Americans would not be complete without these two very popular and essential recipes to share and enjoy. Delicious just about any time of day or season, Irish Soda Bread or the traditional Brown Bread is not just for March 17, St. Patrick’s Day.
Irish Soda Bread
The origin of this recipe is from a woman from County Cavan in the Irish Republic of Ireland,
Mary “Nan” Shanaghy.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups raisins
4 level cups (all-purpose) flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 tablespoons of butter
1 1/3 cups of buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and butter. Stir in buttermilk and eggs. Turn out the dough on a lightly floured surface kneading slightly. Form the dough into a round shape and place on a prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with a ¼ cup of buttermilk; brush the loaf with this mixture. Take a sharp knife and cut a cross into the top of the loaf.
Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes. Check it is done using a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf and comes out clean.
The key to enjoying Irish soda bread is having a cup of hot tea with it. It is while enjoying this traditional snack that the recently arrived Irish will share news from home with the Bronx Irish Americans. The stories include recent deaths, marriages, newborns and of course a scandal or two. No tale is complete without a story about the family farms and who is doing well and who needs a prayer or some intervention. While the stories are shared more soda bread and tea is consumed and enjoyed. The stories are as tasty as the soda bread. The laughter and joy the news from home brings fill the home and there is always a remark or two about how grateful they are to be in America.
Brown Bread
The Irish traditional brown bread is served any time of day. Brown Bread requires no yeast so there is no rising time. It is a hearty and rich bread which tastes great hot with melting butter, preferably Kerrygold.
This recipe comes from an Irish American nurse from Queens who was educated in the Bronx at Preston High School. Sheilah Gaughan shares this delicious brown bread recipe:
Ingredients
2 cups of whole wheat flour
2 cups (all-purpose) flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 tablespoons of butter
1 1/3 cups of buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour a rectangular metal loaf pan, 8”x5”.
In a large bowl whisk the wheat and regular flour with the baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg; stir into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon. A rough dough will result.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead till smooth. Place the dough into the loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes, until the bread, is a ½ inch above the rim of pan. Once out of the pan, the loaf will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
So try these recipes out and let me know what you think. You’ll be surprised how easy they are to make. They are great for housewarming gifts and for many family celebrations.
Irish Soda Bread
The origin of this recipe is from a woman from County Cavan in the Irish Republic of Ireland,
Mary “Nan” Shanaghy.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups raisins
4 level cups (all-purpose) flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 tablespoons of butter
1 1/3 cups of buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and butter. Stir in buttermilk and eggs. Turn out the dough on a lightly floured surface kneading slightly. Form the dough into a round shape and place on a prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with a ¼ cup of buttermilk; brush the loaf with this mixture. Take a sharp knife and cut a cross into the top of the loaf.
Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes. Check it is done using a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf and comes out clean.
The key to enjoying Irish soda bread is having a cup of hot tea with it. It is while enjoying this traditional snack that the recently arrived Irish will share news from home with the Bronx Irish Americans. The stories include recent deaths, marriages, newborns and of course a scandal or two. No tale is complete without a story about the family farms and who is doing well and who needs a prayer or some intervention. While the stories are shared more soda bread and tea is consumed and enjoyed. The stories are as tasty as the soda bread. The laughter and joy the news from home brings fill the home and there is always a remark or two about how grateful they are to be in America.
Brown Bread
The Irish traditional brown bread is served any time of day. Brown Bread requires no yeast so there is no rising time. It is a hearty and rich bread which tastes great hot with melting butter, preferably Kerrygold.
This recipe comes from an Irish American nurse from Queens who was educated in the Bronx at Preston High School. Sheilah Gaughan shares this delicious brown bread recipe:
Ingredients
2 cups of whole wheat flour
2 cups (all-purpose) flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 tablespoons of butter
1 1/3 cups of buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour a rectangular metal loaf pan, 8”x5”.
In a large bowl whisk the wheat and regular flour with the baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg; stir into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon. A rough dough will result.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead till smooth. Place the dough into the loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes, until the bread, is a ½ inch above the rim of pan. Once out of the pan, the loaf will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
So try these recipes out and let me know what you think. You’ll be surprised how easy they are to make. They are great for housewarming gifts and for many family celebrations.
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