THINKING OUTSIDE THE BREAD-BOX...

ABOVE:  The "dough" is ready to go...

50 minutes later...golden goodness!

Check out the close up of the craters!  Just like the moon...

Sliced and ready for butter...

Remember the “bread box?” Well, this installment in the Soda Bread Saga is a bunch of flavors that go so well together I had to experiment with the original Irish Soda Bread recipe, courtesy of Ina Garten. My first attempt was a feverish preparation of pressing garlic, shredding cheese, crushing rosemary and forgetting to add the baking soda—DUH!!! --I like to watch the bread rise in the oven when baking, and that loaf never rose.  To my horror, I realized the crucial ingredient I left out, I was a little devastated. There was some work involved, money and fresh ingredients that all had to be trashed. I shook it off and came back strong—especially since the amazing aroma from the “unleavened bread” that permeated the house was an indication of the flavor I was missing out on. Last night proved more successful, as the only ingredient I forgot was salt—it did need a little salt upon tasting to balance out the sugar and other ingredients. Yeah, can you believe I forgot to put in another ingredient? It might be an indication that I’m over complicating the recipe to distraction—forgetting to put the basic ingredients in, outside of the “fancy twist” ingredients. The other thing I noticed about the baking was after I cut into the bread. It was a tiny bit doughy on a top area, which I didn’t realize until I cut into it. The testing knife had come out clean, so I thought it was done. I guess the extra ingredients pushed the baking time longer. The previous loaves were all baked through, but then again, there was only 1 extra ingredient in those loaves (i.e. the dried blueberries, the chocolate chips, the cheese—three different versions of the soda bread I baked before). So I’ve bumped up the baking time longer. Anyway, this is an intensely flavored bread that is heavenly with a touch of butter. For a side to a salad or on it’s own for breakfast or lunch—you could make a sandwich also out of this bread: think deli mustard and ham, or Dijon mustard & turkey with romaine crunch! However you slice it, it will be lovely! Enjoy!

CHEDDAR-GARLIC-ROSEMARY IRISH SODA BREAD
Modified from Ina Garten recipe

Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for cheese
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice.
1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, shaken
1 extra-large egg
1 ½ cup cheddar grated
6 cloves of garlic pressed
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary chopped
Parchment paper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and chopped rosemary in a large mixing bowl, mix with spatula by hand. Add the butter and mix until the butter is mixed into the flour. Add the cheese and mix well so the cheese gets a good coating of dry mix to prevent clumping.
Into a small/medium sauce pan press garlic cloves and add 1 tablespoon or so of olive oil, sauté until tender for about 5 minutes. Put aside to cool.
With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and garlic together in a medium mixing bowl.
Mixing slowly by hand add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. When mixture is too difficult to mix with spatula, dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan parchment paper and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.
Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.