The Ranger wrote:
> "Bob (this one)" > wrote in message
> ...
> [snip]
> <http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/da...bread_5272.sht
> ml>
>> "Turn out on to a clean surface and knead briefly until
>> smooth. Shape into a 25cm/10in round and place in the centre
>> of a large, double-thickness sheet of oiled extra-thick foil."
>>
>> <http://www.aussie-info.com/identity/food/damper.php>
>> "It was originally made with flour and water and a good
>> pinch of salt, kneaded, shaped into a round, and baked in
>> the ashes of the campfire or open fireplace."
>> [...]
>> "Gently knead on a lightly floured surface and then shape
>> into a round, put on a greased oven tray."
> [snip]
>
> So what's the difference between Irish Soda bread and Damper? I'm
> remembering a couple boys scout campouts where we did something
> similar (only Reynolds helped keep the bread ash-free).
Irish soda bread will generally have many more ingredients
and a flavor other than merely that of cooked flour. The
intent was to be a good bit more sophisticated than damper,
something more suitable to the dinner table. The best was
airy and biscuit-like to my taste.
Here's a good recipe for it:
<http://ballina.mayo-ireland.ie/Brigown/SodaBrd.htm>
-----------------------------------------
Soda Bread from Marjorie's Kitchen
(Makes 1 large or 2 small loaves)
574g/ 4 cups (1.25 lbs. plain flour sieved)
1/2 teaspoon bread soda
15 fl oz (1/2 to 3/4 pt buttermilk) or sour milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
Small drop of fresh milk
1 rounded teaspoon Bextartar (raising agent)
25g/loz. sugar
1. Heat the pot/oven and grease with a little lard.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a basin and make a
well in the centre.
3. Pour in nearly all the milk and egg; gather in the
flour and mix to a loose dough, adding more milk if necessary.
4. With floured hands, knead lightly on a floured board
or table and flatten out. Cut a cross on top.
5. Place dough in pot/oven; cover with heated lid. Place
hot coals on top to give all round heat.
Alternatively bake in a greased round pyrex dish with lid,
pre-heat oven (4250F, 2200C or gas 7 for 40 minutes).
To keep the bread soft, wrap in a clean damp tea towel when
it is taken out of the oven.
Variations
Sultana Cake: Half-cup of sultanas are added to the dry
ingredients.
Treacle Soda Bread: Make as above, but 2 tablespoons of
black treacle (molasses) is heated with the milk and 1
tablespoon of sugar is added to the dry ingredients.
Brown: Make as above but use 1 lb. (4 cups) whole- wheat
flour and 2 cups (0.5 lb). plain white flour. A little more
milk is used to mix the dough.
Apple Cake: Place half the dough in pot/oven; add sliced
cooked apple and sweeten with sugar. Cover with remaining
dough. Press edges together; cover and bake in the same way.
The three-legged iron pot is the origin of the term to make
"Pot luck" In country districts it is used for roasting,
stewing and for making cakes and bread. In Counties Limerick
and Cork it is also called a Bastable oven, and the bread
made in it a "Bastable Cake". Glowing turf (peat) sods are
put on top when baking or roasting is being done to ensure
even heat. The pot can be raised or lowered by a chain, and
three short feet enable it to stand at the side of the hearth.
----------------------------
Another: <http://breadnet.net/real-irish.html>
This is more austere than almost all the ISB I had in
Ireland. Typically, there were inclusions of one sort or
another, a bit more fat for crumb, as above.
-------------------------------------------------------------
GRANNIE FOSTER'S "REAL" IRISH SODA BREAD!!
I've read so many recipes for Irish Soda Bread and I can't
believe the things they've done to the soda bread real Irish
people make and eat.
IRISH SODA BREAD
o 1 CUP SELF-RISING FLOUR
o 1/2 TSP. SALT
o 1 TSP. BAKING SODA
o 1 CUP BUTTERMILK
Mix all ingredients together. Turn out onto lightly floured
surface. Knead for approximately 3 minutes. Shape into an 8"
round. Using a floured knife, cute round into quarters.
Lightly flour a round griddle (or electric frying pan if no
round griddle) and place soda farls on griddle, preheated to
350F. Cook each side approximatley 5 minutes. Stand each
farrel on end for approx. 2 minutes to make sure inside is
cooked.
THIS IS REAL IRISH SODA BREAD.
Delicious warm with butter and jam or cut farls in half and
in half again and fry in bacon grease until brown and
crispy. Serve with fried eggs, bacon, sausages, ham,
whaterver, and enjoy.