So this is a black currant Irish soda bread I've made before, but I wanted to try out a new flour that's local to me and I didn't want Thanksgiving being the test subject. 😉
So here's the first loaf of "Trailblazer". (Don't worry about the melting butter, I put a plate under it after taking the pic!)
I really WANTED to try their Organic Whole Grain Expresso flour, but was unable to source it locally.
Butter melted and first slice, damn that's a good bread!
Ingredients
4 cups [480g+, see note!] flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup [150g] dried currants (see note)
1 3/4 Cup [14ounces / 415ml] buttermilk
1-2 pats of butter (optional)
Instructions
Soak the dried fruit in cold water for 30 minutes. If you don't, they'll pull the moisture out of the bread making it too dry. I did 1/2 currants, 1/2 cranberries.
Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl.
Add dried currants and mix with a wooden spoon.
Add the buttermilk and mix with a wooden spoon until it forms a sticky dough. If the dough is overly sticky, add a little more flour.
Knead dough a few times in the mixing bowl or on a floured surface until it forms a round loaf. It will start out sticky and crumbly but after you knead it a few times, the dough will come together.
Shape dough into a round and place in a Dutch oven with a lid.
Cut two criss-cross slices into the top of the bread with a knife (see photo above). Brush the leftover buttermilk over the top of the bread.
Bake covered for 30 minutes at 425F/215C and then about 15 minutes uncovered. The bread is done when golden brown and the internal temp is 180F/82C.
Let bread cool on a wire rack. Place a couple pats of butter over the bread and let them melt as the bread cools.
Notes
If you weigh ingredients >> Start with 480g of flour and add more as needed. If you use buttermilk, you should be fine with 480g of flour and 415ml of buttermilk. A few more sprinkles of flour might be needed as you knead it. If you use milk + vinegar instead of buttermilk, start with half of the milk and add more as needed.
If you use a buttermilk alternative >> I've found that real buttermilk works the best in this recipe and with the amount of flour indicated. If you use a buttermilk alternative (e.g. milk + vinegar), you'll likely need less of it. Start with half of what's listed in the recipe and add more a little at a time. If you add too much milk and the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour.
Buttermilk alternative >> mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or distilled white vinegar with 1 3/4 cup fresh 2% milk and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Or thin yogurt or sour cream with some milk until you have 1 3/4 cup.
In place of dried currants >> you can use raisins, dried cranberries, etc. Or make it plain.
