March Recipes from the Cozy Corner ..

Now .. what good with good tea be .. with wonderful biscuits or cookies to have with it?  This recipe came from Scotland with my granfaaather’s people and it’s one of the easiest things to make in the world.  Traditionally made in the shape of a circle, my Gran taught me to always use a silver fork to prick it and mark it, and to mark it like this.  The larger cakes .. she’d mark this way      and the smaller ones .. the wee bannocks .. she’d mark this way.  

  

As I learned to bake myself, I discovered that pricking the very tender dough allows the heat to get in for thorough baking, helps to prevent big bubles from forming during baking, and also creates a sort of pre-perforation for breaking the pieces.  “NEVER cut the bannock, always break it,” she’d tell me.  All right, Gran ..  I’ll tell them all YOUR way of doing it like you told me!  

Gran’s Shortbread

1 ½ C sweet (unsalted) butter
1 ¼ C powdered sugar
3 ½ C sifted all-purpose flour
   ½ C cornstarch

    Allow the butter to sit at room temperature until it is soft and whip and cream it until it is the consistency of whipped cream.  Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until very light.     Gently mix the flour and cornstarch and mix that in.  Reserve a little of the flour mixture to use on the board.  Turn the mixed dough onto a board or counter and knead it GENTLY until it is very smooth and it will break slightly when you run your thumb from the center to the edge of the ball of dough.   Divide into 4 parts.  Place each part onto a heavy baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using your fingertips, press and mold each part into a circle about ½ inch thick.  Prick with fork as shown above and bake in a slow oven (275 – 300 degrees) until the edges just begin to start to turn pale brown. Watch carefully for burning .. it can go from not done yet to burnt in less than 2 minutes.   Makes 4 medium sized bannocks or each can  be further divided for 3 smaller ones. 

Gran’s Irish Soda Bread

** note .. this is a casserole type bread .. and is baked in a pan.  Traditional Soda Bread is merely slashed and baked upon a sheet. 

4     C   sifted all-purpose flour
  ¼  C   granulated sugar
1 tsp     salt
1 tsp     baking powder
2 T       caraway seeds ((optional .. Gran never put them in))
  ¼ C    butter
2    C    raisins (or dried fruit .. cranberries, blueberries, etc)
1 1/3 C fresh buttermilk
1           egg
1 tsp      baking soda
1           egg yolk, beaten

    Sift flour, sugar, salt and baking powder into mixing bowl, stir in seeds if using them.   Cut in butter until mixture looks like coarse meal; stir in raisins. 

    Combine buttermilk, 1 egg and baking soda.  Stir into flour mixture just enough to moisten dry ingredients.

    Turn onto a floured board or counter and knead lightly until dough is smooth.  Shape into a ball and place in a greased 2 qt casserole.  With a sharp knife, cut a 4 inch cross ( or X) about ½ inch deep for decorative top.  Brush with beaten egg yolk. 

    Bake in moderate oven (about 375 degrees) about 1 hour, or until a cake tester or wooden pick inserted in center ofloaf comes out clean. 

Cool bread in casserole 10 minutes, then tilt and remove from pan. Cool on wire rack before cutting. To serve, cut through the loaf to divide quarters Thinly slice each quarter. Makes 1 loaf.

Copyright © 2007 Maggie Pringlemeir Sacred Stitches LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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