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Darina Allen’s Irish Soda Bread recipe

mummys-brown-irish-soda-bread-from-darina-allen-hero

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound all-purpose flour (about 3 1/2 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 13 to 16 ounces buttermilk (depending on the consistency of the buttermilk)

Directions:

  • Preheat the oven to 450° F.
  • Mix the flours in a large wide bowl, add the salt and sieved baking soda. Lift the flour up with your fingers to distribute the salt and baking soda.
  • Make a well in the center and pour in all the buttermilk. With your fingers stiff and outstretched, stir in a circular movement from the center to the outside of the bowl in ever increasing concentric circles. When you reach the outside of the bowl, seconds later the dough should be made.
  • Sprinkle a little flour on the worktop. Turn the dough out onto the floured worktop. (Fill the bowl with cold water so it will be easy to wash later.)
  • Sprinkle a little flour on your hands. Gently tidy the dough around the edges and transfer to oven tray. Tuck the edges underneath with your hand; gently pat the dough with your fingers into a loaf about 1 1/2-inch thick. Now wash and dry your hands.
  • Cut a deep cross into the bread (this is called ‘blessing the bread’ and then prick it in the center of the four sections to let the fairies out of the bread).
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes then turn the oven down to 400°F for a further 15 or 20 minutes. Turn the bread upside down and cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes until cooked (the bottom should sound hollow when tapped). Cool on a wire rack

Variations:

  • Brown Soda Bread: Replace half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.
  • Dubliner Soda Bread: Before baking, brush loaf with egg wash (egg beaten with a little milk) and sprinkle with shredded Dubliner cheese.
  • Cheese Scones: After the soda bread has been shaped, flatten it out and cut into pieces to form scones. Brush tops with egg wash (egg beaten with a little milk), dip tops into shredded Dubliner cheese and bake, cheese-side up, 10 minutes in a 450° F oven; cook on wire rack.

http://kerrygoldusa.com/recipes/darina-allen-s-irish-soda-bread

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Darina Allen’s Cullohill Apple Pie

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (1 brick) Kerrygold Butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sugar, plus 2/3 cup for the filling and a little extra for sprinkling
  • 2 large eggs, plus an extra for egg wash
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 pounds (4 to 5) tart crisp apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, quartered, cored, and sliced
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:

Cream butter and 1/4 cup of the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer; add 2 of the eggs and beat until smooth. Reduce mixer speed and add flour a heaping half cup at a time to form stiff but sticky dough. Turn onto a floured surface and form into a ball. Divide dough into 2/3 and 1/3 portions; wrap each in plastic and press to flatten into a round. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. When ready to bake, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Toss apples with remaining 2/3 cup of sugar and the cloves. Roll the larger dough round on a floured surface to a 13-inch circle; fit into a 10-inch tart pan or a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate. Turn apples into pie plate. Roll remaining portion of dough on a floured surface into a 10-inch circle. Lay pastry over apples and pinch with bottom piece of dough to seal; flute edges. Brush with an egg wash, and decoratively slit the dough top with a paring knife. Bake until pie is golden brown, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Cut into slices and serve.

For more about the Ballymaloe Cookery School, visit www.cookingisfun.ie.

http://kerrygoldusa.com/recipes/darina-allen-s-cullohill-apple-pie

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Rachel’s Swedish Cardamom Cookies

rachel cardaomon cookies

Makes about 40 cookies.

You will need:

  • 225g (8oz) butter, softened
  • 125g (4½oz) icing sugar
  • 275g (10oz) flour
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 teaspoons ground cardamom, see my Tip, above left
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest, finely grated
  • Pinch of salt
  • 200g (7oz) chopped pecans or sugar crystals/nibs – (coloured, if you like, available in some speciality food shops) (optional)

Put the softened butter in a bowl and beat until it is soft. Add in half of the icing sugar and continue to beat, then add in the other half. Keep beating until it is all incorporated. Next, add in the flour, the beaten egg, the ground cardamom, the finely grated orange zest and the salt, then continue to beat until everything is well combined.

Roll the dough out into a log shape approximately 4cm (1½in) wide and about 35cm (14in) long.

Roll the dough in the chopped pecans or the sugar crystals/nibs, whichever you’re using, if you’re using them, then transfer the dough to a large piece of parchment paper or cling film and roll it to cover it. If you have used pecan nuts or sugar crystals/nibs, press them in to the sides of the dough.

Put the dough in the fridge for a few hours or leave it in it overnight.

When you want to cook some, or all, of the cookies, cut the dough into ½-¾cm slices then lay them flat on a parchment-lined tray. Cook in an oven preheated to 180°C, 350°F, Gas 4 for about 15-24 minutes (the cooking time will vary, according to thickness), or until a light golden colour. Carefully lift on to a cooling rack to cool completely.

 

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Rachel Allen’s Irish Gingerbread

 
 

By Rachel Allen

Celebrity Chef More from
Rachel’s Coasting Cooking

There’s no better accompaniment for a hot pot of tea than this gingerbread from Rachel Allen.

Ingredients

  • 60 g (2½oz) butter
  • 75 g (3oz) treacle
  • 50 g (2oz) golden syrup
  • 140 g (4¾oz) plain flour
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 100 g (3½oz) caster sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 egg
  • 125 ml (4½fl oz) milk
  • for the syrup
  • 75 g (3oz) caster sugar
  • 2 tsp finely grated root ginger, or finely chopped crystallised ginger

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3. Line the base and sides of a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with baking parchment.
  2. Melt the butter, treacle and golden syrup in a small saucepan on a low heat, then set aside.
  3. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into a bowl and stir in the spices, sugar and salt. In another bowl, whisk the egg, then add the milk and the melted butter mixture and pour into the dry ingredients. Mix until smooth – it will have a wet sloppy consistency.
  4. Pour into the prepared loaf tin and bake in the oven for 50–55 minutes until risen and firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. (Wait for at least 45 minutes before opening the oven to check whether the gingerbread has cooked, otherwise it can collapse in the centre.)
  5. While the gingerbread is cooking, make the syrup. Place the sugar and ginger in a small saucepan with 75ml (3fl oz) water, bring to the boil over a medium heat and boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened and syrupy.
  6. Once the gingerbread is cooked, take it out of the oven and, leaving it in the tin, pierce it all over the top with a fine skewer, then pour the syrup over and leave to cool completely.
  7. When the gingerbread is cold, take it out of the tin and serve.

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Rachel’s Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Screenshot_2020-01-14 Rachel Allen on Instagram “OHHH YESSSS These Double Chocolate Chip Cookies are possibly up there as m[...](3)

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rachelallen1

OHHH YESSSS….These Double Chocolate Chip Cookies are possibly up there as my very favourites. This is a perfect day for some cosy baking. Let me know how you get on.. see Recipe below from my book Rachel’s Everyday Kitchen , @harpercollinsire @harpercollinsuk #baking #cosy #cosybakingday #doublechocolate #doublechocolatechip #doublechocolatechipcookies Makes 20 large cookies-never enough


225g butter, softened

325g caster sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

225g flour

75g cocoa powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

¼ tsp salt 175g dark chocolate chips

 

Preheat the oven to 175’C.
Line 3 baking trays with parchment paper .

Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat until very soft. Add in the sugar and beat to mix well. Continue to beat and add the eggs in one by one followed by the vanilla extract. Sift in the sifted flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix in until combined.

With wet hands, form the dough into balls the size of a golf ball (or use 2 soup spoons to scoop onto the tray) . Arrange on the tray , about 6 or 7 on each tray, leaving space for the cookies to spread.

If you’re using a fan oven, cook all three trays at once (at 150’ FAN ‘C). Cook for 9-11 minutes until they look slightly cracked on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes, then remove from the tray and place on a wire rack to cool completely. PS- You can just bake a few and keep the cookie dough in the fridge rolled up into a salami shape in parchment paper, then slice to bake when you fancy. 🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪

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Quick fruit brulée

peach-brulee

Ingredients

(serves 4)
2 bananas, peeled and cut at an angle into 5mm (ªin) thick slices

4 nectarines or peaches, stones removed and flesh cut into wedges 5mm (ªin) thick

16 strawberries, hulled and quartered

100g (3ƒoz) caster sugar, plus an additional tablespoon of caster sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

4 tablespoons mascarpone or 
whipped cream

In a large bowl, toss the sliced 
bananas, the chopped nectarines or peaches, whichever you are using, 
and the quartered strawberries with 
one tablespoon of the caster sugar 
and the lemon juice. Divide between individual bowls, adding a few blobs of the mascarpone or whipped cream, whichever you’re using, to each one.

Next, make the caramel to go on top. Place the 100g (3ƒoz) caster sugar in a small to medium saucepan on a medium heat and stir. It will begin to look lumpy and sandy, but don’t worry – just keep stirring. Eventually, it will become viscous, turning from golden to a rich caramel colour. Altogether, this can take up to about 12 minutes.

Using a spoon, carefully drizzle all the caramel over the mascarpone or whipped cream, whichever you’re 
using, and over the fruit. Set aside for about five minutes, just to allow the caramel to cool and set hard, then serve.

Peach Recipes:

http://www.rachelallen.com/