Irish Soda Bread

 Irish Soda Bread

Alexandra’s Kitchen

Yield: 1 round loaf

• 4 c.  all-purpose flour (510 g)

• 2 tsp salt 

• 1 TB sugar

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 egg

• 1¾ cups buttermilk (diy buttermilk ok, or powdered buttermilk and water as noted on container)

• 2 TB melted butter

*Option to add 1 c. dried currants for Irish sweet bread taste*

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. 

Grease a 9- or 10-inch pie tin or cast iron skillet (or other similarly sized oven-safe vessel) with softened butter. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, baking soda (and powdered buttermilk if using, and currants if using)

In a medium bowl, beat the egg and liquid buttermilk. 

Add the melted butter and stir to combine. 

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. 

Mixture will be sticky. Lightly flour your hands and sprinkle a little flour over the sticky dough ball. 

Use your hands to scrape the dough from the sides of the bowl and to quickly shape the mass into a ball, kneading lightly if necessary. 

Transfer to prepared skillet, making sure it spreads out a tiny bit (still domed but not a tall ball)

Sprinkle with a teensy bit more flour. 

Use a sharp knife to make an X across the top of the dough ball. 

Place in oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Sometimes mine takes longer, but you don’t want it dark brown.

Remove from oven, transfer to cooling rack, and let cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

For Whole Wheat Irish Soda, Use These Proportions:

2 cups (256 g) all-purpose flour

1½ cups (192 g) whole wheat flour

½ cup (55 g) wheat germ

Challah

 Challah Bread

Compiled by Kristen

Yield: 1 loaf

For the dough:

• 1 c. lukewarm water

• 2 tsp yeast

• ½ tsp sugar

Place the 1 cup lukewarm water in a small bowl (not stand mixer yet). Sprinkle with 2 tsp yeast and 1 pinch of the granulated sugar - stir to combine. Let sit until you see a thin frothy layer across the top, 5 to 10 minutes. 

• ¼ c. granulated sugar

• 4 ½ c. all-purpose flour (plus more as needed)

• 1 TB kosher salt

• 2 large eggs

• 1 large egg yolk (reserve the white for the egg wash)

• ¼ c. neutral oil (or butter - if kosher not needed)

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• For the egg wash:

• 1 large egg white

• 1 TB water

Whisk flour, remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and salt together in a stand mixer. 

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. 

In a tiny bowl, mix - the 2 large eggs, 1 large egg yolk, and 1/4 cup neutral oil to the well. Whisk this mixture, then pour into the flour well.

Whisk  to form a slurry, pulling in a little flour from the sides of the bowl.

Pour the yeast mixture over the egg slurry. 

Mix everything together until a shaggy dough that is difficult to mix forms. You want to be able to touch it without it being crazy sticky. Add a tiny bit of flour if needed.

RISE:

Lightly coat a large bowl with oil. Transfer the dough ball into the bowl and turn to coat in the oil. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours

**BRAID - choose a method below to braid your loaf.

When finished braiding and shaping, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the braided loaf on top and sprinkle with a little flour. 

RISE:

Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place away from drafts until puffed and pillowy, about 1 hour. About 20 minutes before baking, heat the oven to 350°F.

Whisk 1 large egg white and 1 TB water together in a small bowl with a fork. Brush it all over the challah, being sure to get in the cracks and down the sides of the loaf.

Bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the challah is deeply browned, about 30 to 35 minutes total. Transfer the challah onto a wire rack and let cool (easier to cut and hold shape if you let it cool at least 15-20 mins)

(Store leftovers airtight if you have any! Leftovers make amazing French toast)

BRAIDING!

3 STRANDED STANDARD BRAID

Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces (can use kitchen scale for more equal braid size)

Working on a lightly floured work surface, roll each piece of dough into a long rope about 16 inches long. If the ropes shrink as you try to roll them, let them rest for 5 minutes to relax the gluten and then try again.

Arrange the ropes vertically, then gather and squeeze them together at the very top.

Braid in a standard braid (outer piece over neighboring piece and into the middle - alternate starting sides)

Tuck ends under and adjust loaf shape.

6 STRANDED SIMPLE BRAID

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Srn6WmO5mbY

-Pinch ends together at the top and separate into two groups of 3 strands.

Alternate sides, taking the outermost strand and bringing it across to become the innermost strand on the opposite group.

6 STRANDED CHALLAH BRAID

Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces (about 3 ounces each). Working on a lightly floured work surface, roll each piece of dough into a long rope about 16 inches long. If the ropes shrink as you try to roll them, let them rest for 5 minutes to relax the gluten and then try again.

Arrange the ropes vertically, then gather and squeeze them together at the very top.

Think - "over two, under one, over two." Carry the right-most rope over the two ropes beside it, slip it under the middle rope, and then carry it over the last two ropes.

 Lay the rope down parallel to the other ropes; it is now the furthest-left strand. 

Repeat this pattern until you reach the end of the loaf. 

Try to make your braid as tight as possible. 

Your braid will start listing to the left as you go; it's ok to lift it up and recenter the loaf if you need to. 

Once you reach the end, squeeze the ends of the ropes together and tuck them under the loaf.

Gently adjust loaf shape as desired (can “plump” the loaf by moving ends towards each other)

6 STRANDED DOUBLE WEAVE BRAID

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=455917212168333

4 STRANDED ROUND CHALLAH

https://www.westoftheloop.com/2014/09/11/round-challah-rosh-hashanah/

SEARCH other options and get creative!

CHALLAH TIPS:

https://thekosherbaker.com/challah-braiding-artistry-tips-from-the-challah-prince/

Millet Banana Muffins

Millet Banana Muffins

Yield: 24 muffins (48 minis)

Joanna

2 ¼ c. spelt flour (or half spelt- half whole wheat)

¼ c. whole millet

1 tsp. Baking powder

1 tsp. Baking soda

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Ground cinnamon

⅛ tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375.

Whisk dry ingredients together. Make a well in the center and set aside.

1 egg

⅓ c. olive oil (or canola)

⅓ c. liquid honey

1 c. buttermilk (or 1 c. water, and mix the powdered buttermilk to dry ingredients)

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 bananas, mashed

In another bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, honey, buttermilk (or water if using powdered buttermilk), and vanilla. 

Pour into flour mixture and stir together just until dry ingredients are moist. 

Fold in Mashed bananas.

Divide batter evenly (using cookie scoop!) in greased liners in your muffin tin - filling about ⅔ - ¾ full)

Bake 20 minutes (15 mins for mini muffins). They should look golden brown and tops should spring back when lightly touched.

**Buttermilk substitute: add 1 TB vinegar or lemon juice directly to a 1 cup measure.

Then add enough milk to reach 1 full cup. Set aside 5 mins until slightly thickened.

Mix in when combining wet ingredients.

Millionaire Shortbread Bites (Twix Bites)

 Millionaire Shortbread Bites (Twix Bites)

Yield: 48-60 mini bites

        -See bottom of recipe for use in a pan for making bars

-(Or you can use the muffin pan space you have and put the remaining in a small baking dish or mini loaf pan with overhanging parchment paper for bars)

    

(something like this pic- not this actual recipe, ratios of layers are a little off)

Preheat oven to 350F and spray silicone mini muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray 

(I’ve only done it in a mini silicone tray, so you probably need to spray well if it’s metal in order to get them out of the pan.)

Shortbread base

• 2 c. all-purpose flour (240g)

• 1 c. unsalted butter *room temperature* (226g)

• ½ c. granulated sugar packed (100g)

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ½ tsp salt

Cream the butter then add the sugar, salt and beat until light and fluffy. 

Add the vanilla and egg yolk then mix until combined. 

Add the flour in a few batches and mix until just combined.

Make small dough balls (slightly larger than a marble, enough to place in the mini muffin tin and press flat to be about ¼ inch thick) and press flat once in baking wells.

Bake at 350 for 12 +/- mins…edges should start browning a little and the color on top will get slightly darker, but do not overbake.

Caramel layer

• 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

• ½ c. butter (113g)

• 1 c. light brown sugar, packed (200g)

• ¼ c. corn syrup light or dark (60ml)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ½ tsp salt

While the base bakes, make the caramel. 

Combine all caramel ingredients in a medium sauce pan.

Place over medium heat and whisk until melted and combined.

Continue whisking constantly over medium (or medium low) heat while the caramel bubbles and darkens slightly, about 5-6 mins. 

Once it reaches 225F you'll see it starts to thicken and pull away from the edge, your caramel is ready.

Look at remaining space in each well, plan to fill a little less than half with caramel, saving space for a little more than half to be chocolate.

Using two spoons, dish small layers of caramel into each well on top of the shortbread base, and smooth to the edges creating a flat layer. 

*You may have extra caramel, but just use the amount you need for a thin layer of caramel 

Chill for about 10 minutes so the caramel sets (and won’t mix with the chocolate layer)

Chocolate Ganache

• 2 c. milk chocolate chips (or half milk choc half semisweet, needs to be high quality- not store brand)

• 1 c. heavy cream

Place the chocolate in a glass bowl and set aside.

Warm the heavy cream in a small sauce pan on the stove- Bring it to a gentle simmer, but don’t let it boil.

Pour the warmed cream over the chocolate chips and let sit a few minutes to soften.

Stir to make a creamy smooth ganache (it should be somewhere in between liquid and paste, a combo of pourable and spreadable.)

Pour the ganache into the individual wells, and smooth off the top. I vote to be generous with the chocolate! I like slightly more chocolate than caramel.

1 pinch sea salt to sprinkle on top

Let set at room temp. Once chocolate is set you can store it in the fridge or on the counter, it just depends what works best for how  your caramel and chocolate turned out.

***You can also make this in bar form- using a 9x13 pan with an overhanging layer of parchment paper. 

Do 1.5x recipe for the shortbread base. Leave caramel and chocolate recipe 1x. 

Bake shortbread for 22 +/- mins. Follow the rest of the recipe the same. 

They are easier to cut when bars are cold, with a warm, wet knife.

Chocolate Ganache

 Chocolate Ganache

• 2 c. milk chocolate chips (needs to be high quality- not store brand)

• 1 c. heavy cream

OR

• 2 c. semi sweet chocolate chips

• 1.5 c. heavy cream

Place the chocolate in a glass bowl and set aside.

Warm the heavy cream in a small sauce pan on the stove- Bring it to a gentle simmer, but don’t let it boil.

Pour the warmed cream over the chocolate chips and let sit a few minutes to soften.

Stir to make a creamy smooth ganache (it should be somewhere in between liquid and paste, a combo of pourable and spreadable.)

Use as needed, best to let set at room temp so it sets evenly. 

Use a double boiler to rewarm if you need it soft again.

Ganache questions?

https://sugargeekshow.com/ganache/

Mini Pumpkin Muffins

 Mini Pumpkin Muffins

Yield: 48 mini muffins

Adapted from Mel’s

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two mini muffin tins with cooking spray. Set aside.

• 15-oz can can pumpkin puree

• ½ cup (106 g) granulated sugar

• ½ cup (106 g) packed light brown sugar

• ½ cup (113 g) canola oil or melted butter

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the muffins, in a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil or butter, eggs and vanilla until well-mixed.

• 1 ¾ cups (249 g) all-purpose flour (or half white, half whole wheat flour)

• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

• ¼ tsp ground ginger

• ¼ tsp ground allspice

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

Add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined and no dry streaks remain.

Scoop the muffin batter into the prepared pans, filling about 2/3 to 3/4 full.

Topping:

• ½ c. (212 g) granulated sugar

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

I like a little sprinkle of the topping on them before they bake, if you just want to dip them after, that’s fine too.

Bake the muffins for 9-11 minutes until the tops spring back lightly to the touch. 

Remove the muffins from the tin - turn over and dip the tops in the cinnamon sugar topping mixture then place right side up on a cooling rack to cool. If topping mixture isn’t sticking, dip tops in a little melted butter first.