Oh, my piquant and captivating friend!
What wonders and delights you hold!
You are always in my refrigerator
Waiting for new adventures untold!
There are no words my tongue can employ
To describe thy creamy liquid wonder
I hasten to pluck thee from my refrigerator
Oh you that brings me such joy.
Yes, I admit it! I am a buttermilk fanatic!
Yes, I admit it! I gag if I have to drink it from a cup!
Okay, where’s the attraction????
It’s all in the baking…yummity-yum=yum. The best bread recipes are made with buttermilk.
It’s a magical liquid. It elevates everything it’s baked in.
Then there are cookies, and pies…
Here’s a favorite from our family. Irish Soda Bread. It is a type of sheepherder’s bread, nothing like what you see as traditional Irish Soda Bread. Once made, pull off a chunk with your hand and butter. And you’re in Buttermilk Irish Heaven!
Irish Soda Bread
4 cups flour 1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp soda
1-1/3 to 1½ cups buttermilk
Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. Make a hollow in the center and pour in 1 cup of the buttermilk. Mix with spoon and add enough more buttermilk to make a firm but not dry loaf.
Turn onto a floured board and knead lightly. Shape into a round loaf and cut across the top so that it will not crack. Place in a buttered cast iron skillet or stoneware shallow pan with edges and bake at 350' for 40 to 45 minutes.
Loaf should be broken, not cut. It is good hot or cold.
And now for another buttermilk treat!
This Buttermilk Raisin Bread came from a beloved cookbook of mine: Bread Machine Magic. I have tried dozens of recipes from it and all of them have turned out to be favorites!
Buttermilk Raisin Bread
7/8 cup buttermilk 1 egg
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter
1/4 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup raisins
1-1/2 tsp yeast
3 Tbsp sugar
Place all ingredients in bread pan, select light crust or 1 pound setting. Press start.
After the baking cycle ends, remove bread from pan, place on cooling rack, and allow to cool one hour before slicing. (Oh yeah sure! Who can wait one hour? What a crummy cookbook!)
1-1/2 pound loaf
Cooking Tips: Getting it right after baking: Here’s how I make my bread have a soft crust. When you get the bread out of the pan, wrap it in a terry cloth towel (completely wrapped) Place on a cooling rack. Cool completely in towel before putting in plastic bag.
If you find yourself always having leftover buttermilk in the fridge after baking a recipe, here's a website that will show you how to freeze and store it. Very interesting!
And now…let’s find out. How many of you can wait until the bread is completely cooled before you slice it and eat?
Oh, you know that isn't going to happen. Thanks for the recipes. I've made milk sour (some vinegar in the milk) rather than buy buttermilk. It's usually the alternative mentioned in the recipe. Guess I should try it once.
ReplyDeleteHugs
You simply oughta' give buttermilk a try! You'll never go back. I also have dried buttermilk should I need some and can't get to the store. I've also frozen buttermilk without all the knowledge from the website!
DeleteThose look delicious... now I'm hungry! :-) I have a scone recipe that is OK the "normal" way but DIVINE with buttermilk. I'm going to have to try your bread recipes, too. It's a bit of a dreary day here, a house full of baking bread smells may be the perfect thing. (PS -- Wait until it's cool? Does anyone actually do that? haha)
ReplyDeleteI love a house smelling of bread! I can eat a whole loaf all by myself in one evening. Okay, the truth: in one sitting!
DeleteI actually like drinking buttermilk. But those baked goods look so yummy.
ReplyDeleteMy uncle drank buttermilk. I thought you had to be raised a country farmer to like it! Applause for you!***** But really...do you have taste buds? :-)
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