Homemade Irish Cream/ Magical Cheese Soda Bread

 

I apologize for the pictures. Some things are too good for good pictures. Sometimes I’m just lazy. I thought it was more important to share the recipes than to worry about looking good (and I was late…)

It’s St. Patrick’s Day. You should make both of these things. They will be delicious, and easy, and just do it.

 

Cheddar Soda Bread

This bread has pockets of cheese in it. POCKETS of cheese!

Ok quick side note. My roommate Suela has this face she makes when she’s experiencing utter food bliss. It’s like half the reason I bake for her. She’ll first breath in the sent of the baked good and get this huge grin on her face. Then she takes a bite, and if I’ve done my job, she’ll breathe out, and literally her whole body exudes food bliss. It’s hilarious to watch. Being the ultra cheese lover she is, this bread was for her.

It’s absurdly easy. I made it…with a few drinks in me. And it was flawless.

This picture sucks, but the recipe does not

 

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups All purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (Cabot preferred), cut into pats

8 ounces Cabot sharp or extra-sharp cheddar, grated; about 2 cups, lightly packed

1 1/4 cups buttermilk* (or milk heated up slighly, mixed with a Tbs of lemon juice or vinegar)

1 large egg

 

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease 9" round pan, caste iron skillet, or just really any pan you have...

2) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3) Add the butter, working it into the flour until the mixture is crumbly. Toss in the grated cheese.

4) Mix the buttermilk and egg, and add to the dry ingredients, stirring just until everything is moistened.

5) Scoop the dough into the pan, in as much of a ball shape as you can. Dough will be VERY sticky.

6) Bake the bread for 40 to 45 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Its internal temperature at the center will be close to 200°F.

7) Remove the bread from the oven, and loosen the edges with a table knife. Wait 5 minutes, then gently turn it out onto a rack to cool. It's tempting, but wait about 20 minutes before cutting the bread, if you can; it's a bit crumbly when hot.

 

Irish Cream (Homemade Bailey’s)

OH my god. They are ripping all of us off. Not only is making you own Irish cream cheaper (MUCH cheaper), it’s stronger and far more delicious. Also, so so so very simple!!

 

Ingredients (makes 4 cups)

• 1 C heavy cream
• 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk***
• 1 1/3 C Irish whiskey (I used Jameson)
• 2 T chocolate syrup
• 1 t instant coffee (I used instant espresso because that’s what I had)
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 t almond extract (I didn’t use)

***Find in the baking section in a small can. Watch out! Evaporated milk comes in the same type of can and it is VERY different!

Wanna see how easy this is?

Mix all ingredients in a blender.

Enjoy.

 

Holy crap. so good

 

Happy St. Patty’s!

Leah

Cinnamon Rolls

 

Cinnamon rolls happened.

They can happen to you too.

flour + butter + sugar + yeast = dough

go for a run while it rises (why not pre burn off the calories?)

roll out

sugar + spices = filling

Melted butter gets brushed on dough. Filling gets generously distributed over dough.

Dough is rolled into a snake.

Cut

Rise

 

Bake

Frost

Delicious

It takes some time, but it’s worth ever warm melty bite.

 

Saturdays in this house kick butt.

Cinnamon Rolls

Adapted slightly from Joy the Baker

For the Dough:

• 1 – 1/4oz package active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon, plus 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup milk at room temperature
• 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more for kneading
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan

For the Filling:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1/4 cup raisins (Optional)
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Cream Cheese Icing

• 4 oz (half a brick) cream cheese
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 sick of butter
• splash of lemon juice

Making the dough:

Measure out 1/4 cup water in a glass measuring cup and heat it until warm to the touch (about 10-15 seconds in the microwave is perfect). Add yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar to the water and let sit until frothy, about 10  minutes.

In the mean time beat the remaining sugar, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk in a large bowl. Add the four and salt and mix (with your hands or a stand mixer with a dough attachment) until the dough comes together. Knead dough for another 4 minutes. Add the butter and continue to knead for another 6 minutes. The dough will be very sticky (this step was weirdly awesome from the butter). Continue to knead another 1/3 cup flour into the dough on a floured surface. The dough will still be sticky. Let dough rise in a covered bowl in a warm place for about an hour to two (!) hours, or until doubled.

To make the filling while the dough rises, combine sugar, brown sugar, nuts and raisins (if using), cinnamon, salt, and cloves in a bowl. Stir in maple syrup and set aside.

After dough doubles, move it to a heavily floured surface, and gently kneed flour into dough. Add in enough until dough is no longer sticky (about 3-4 Tbs). Let dough rest for about 5 minutes before rolling out.

Using a floured rolling pin (or wine bottle!), roll the dough into a 20x10 inch square…I definitely didn’t measure, but eye ball it. If dough pulls back, let it sit a few minutes before trying again.

Melt a half stick of butter and spread across rolled out dough. Spread filing out evenly across dough and pat down slightly. Roll dough from the long side until you have a dough snake. Pinch ends together.

Cut dough snake into using a sharp serrated knife into roughly 2 inch pieces. I think I got about 13 rolls out of this.

Put rolls cut side up in a buttered 9x 13 inch baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise for another 1-1/2 to 2 hours. You may also refrigerate rolls overnight.

Heat the oven to 375. Uncover rolls and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

While rolls are baking beat all icing ingredients together in a bowl. Spread icing over hot buns (hah).

Eat ASAP.

 

Try it. Or tell me to make them for you…it’s easier. And I’ll totally do it.

 

Happy Saturday

Leah