Thursday, March 14, 2013

Irish Soda Bread Biscuits

It's almost St. Patrick's Day!

While others are spending the day on Sunday sucking down green beers (and probably regretting it later), I'll be tucked away at the Radisson Hotel for yet another business conference. While the previous two weekends were spent at events where people were showcasing their new products or services, this one will be more of a two day workshop focused on my own personal business growth and development. I'm excited to dive in and learn how I can better serve my clients.

Hopefully there will be a green smoothie or two to keep my energy flowing!

In the meantime, I couldn't let St. Patty's Day sneak up without a post. Since I've been on a bit of a baking kick lately (truthfully, when am I not!?!) it seemed fitting to bake a traditional Irish Soda Bread. Irish Soda Bread is a simple quick bread, which in recent times has become associated with Saint Patrick's Day, although historically it did not become popular in Ireland until after the Famine years in the 1930s. It is traditionally made of nothing more than flour, salt, baking soda and buttermilk, although more modern takes include additional ingredients, and often even gets used as a dessert bread.  For more on the history of soda bread, check out  sodabread.info.

Of course, I had to take a little spin on the traditional, and whipped up a batch of Soda Bread Biscuits with raisins, that are also vegan and gluten free!

Irish Soda Bread Biscuits
Makes 8 biscuits.

Ingredients 
3/4 cup non dairy milk
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 cups gluten free flour mix*
2 teaspoons coconut sugar 
3/4 teaspoon each baking soda and 
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons solid coconut oil
1/2 cup raisins 
1 tablespoon caraway seeds** 

Directions 
1. Preheat oven to 375. 

2. Combine milk and apple cider vinegar and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it starts to curdle or turn sour to create "buttermilk" (soy milk will curdle the most, rice milk will not really form curdles.) 



3. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda and kosher salt in a bowl. Work in coconut oil until pea sized pieces are formed. Add raisins and caraway seeds. Mix in "buttermilk" and stir using a spoon, until well combined. 



4. Form the dough into a ball and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Cut into four or eight wedges, depending on how big you want your biscuits. Form the wedges into balls and flatten slightly. Cut an "X" into the top of each biscuit.  (Eight wedges will give you biscuits that are about 2 inches round.) 


5. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Biscuits should be lightly browned on top and bottom.  


*I used a gluten free flour mix of 1 cup brown rice flour, 1/2 cup sorghum flour, 1/4 cup tapioca flour and 1/4 cup quinoa flour. 

**Caraway seeds are not in my pantry as I don't like them one bit! Instead I used 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. You may eliminate the seeds entirely, however.


Here's a little round up of some of my green recipes: 





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