QUICK EASY DENSE & LOVELY SODA BREAD FOR IRISH CHEESES: yeast free, high fibre, easy-peasy, opt for spelt flour

Easy, quick more-ish cheese board crowdpleaser or healthier breakfast bread 

'Really, really great bread.' 'I really like the tartness of the berries and the oatmeal is a selling point.'  

This gorgeous fruity Cranberry, Molasses, Oatmeal & Nut Loaf bread is the perfect companion to Irish Cheeses on St Patrick's Day...and is wonderful toasted the day after. 

The bread, based on Irish soda breads, is yeast-free AND is ready for the oven in 10 minutes. It's so rich it doesn't need buttering (though many people can't resist).   Weighty but not heavy, it's delicious with a myriad of complementary flavours. 

It is healthy, too.  The wholemeal content is high, making the crust gorgeously chewy but the interior soft and yielding.  Nutrient rich molasses (low on the glycemic index) and cholesterol-battling oatmeal add sweet smokiness.  Fresh cranberries give a pop of colour and delicious tartness.  Heart-friendly nuts add crunch. 

The bread keeps well in an air-tight tin for a couple of days - if it lasts that long.  It  freezes well. 

Dried berries can replace fresh but blanch in boiling water, drain & dry before adding to the flour.

Cost:  £4.00'ish (3/22)
Makes: one large loaf; recipe halves nicely

Ingred:
    14oz/390 gm plain common wheat or spelt flour, 50-50 white + wholemeal (OR 9.5oz/275 gm white + and 4oz/115gm wholemeal) 
    3oz/90g oatmeal, blitzed in a blender till fine 
    1 tsp baking soda
    1 tsp salt

     4oz/113gm cold butter, in small cubes

     3/4 cup fresh cranberries, washed & drained OR dried berries reconstituted in boiling water 5 mins, rinsed & drained well
     scant half cup coarsely chopped nuts
     zest of an orange

    340ml buttermilk* stirred
    1/4 cup/60ml molasses
    1 extra large egg or 2 small eggs, beaten

Equipment: 

• 900gm/2 pound metal bread tin, OR 2 1 pound bread tins, lined with a strip of greaseproof paper down the bottom and extending above either side (makes it easier to get the bread out); grease sides of tin OR
• baking tray

  
Method:

(NEW) CRANBERRY & NUT WHOLEMEAL LOAF, easy, yeast-free, vegetarian; small households

Easy, quick and more-ish festive bread: cheese board crowdpleaser or healthier breakfast bread 

first posted 2019; updated 5/23

Cranberry Nut Oatmeal Molasses Bread
with Blue Lancashire & Butter 

This gorgeous fruity Cranberry & Nut Loaf bread tastes just wonderful and has so much going for it, it's perfect for the Christmas season or any time cheese needs a good bread.  

It will play many roles: centrepiece on a cheeseboard, a healthier alternative - or addition - to the usual Cinnamon buns on Christmas morning, or pick-me-up toast the morning after indulgent evenings.  

The bread, based on Irish soda breads, is yeast-free.  It's so rich it doesn't need buttering (though many people can't resist).  It's dotted with fresh fruit and nuts, is high in fibre, and best of all is ready for the oven in 10 minutes. 

It's healthy, too.  The wholemeal content is high, making the crust gorgeously chewy but the interior soft and yielding.  Nutrient rich molasses (low on the glycemic index) and cholesterol-battling oatmeal add sweet smokiness.  Fresh cranberries give a pop of delicious tartness and heart-friendly nuts add crunch. 

Weighty but not heavy, the bread will appeal to adults.  For kids, reducing the amount of wholemeal flour might be advisable.  

The bread will keep well in an air-tight tin for a couple of days - if it lasts that long.  It  freezes well. 

Dried berries can replace fresh but blanch in boiling water, drain & dry before adding to the flour.

Cost:  £4.00'ish, depending on what's in the cupboard/fridge
Makes: one large loaf; recipe halves nicely

Ingred:
    14oz/390 gm plain common wheat or spelt flour, 50-50 white + wholemeal OR 9.5oz/275 gm white + and 4oz/115gm wholemeal 
    3oz/90g oatmeal, blitzed in a blender till fine 
    1 tsp baking soda
    1 tsp salt

     4oz/113gm cold butter, in small cubes

     3/4 cup fresh washed & drained, or dried, blanched with boiling water and drained, cranberries, 

     scant half cup coarsely chopped nuts
     zest of an orange

    340ml buttermilk* stirred
    1/4 cup/60ml molasses
    1 extra large egg or 2 small eggs, beaten

Equipment: 

• 900gm/2 pound metal bread tin, lined with a strip of greaseproof paper down the bottom and extending above either side (makes it easier to get the bread out); grease sides of tin OR
• baking tray

  
Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375f/190c/170fan/gas5
2. Mix dry ingred in a large bowl; add butter and rub together (or process) until butter resembles peas
3. Mix in orange zest, distributing evenly, then gently mix through cranberries and nuts until berries are completely coated in flour
4. Whisk buttermilk, molasses & egg/s; beware molasses sitting on the bottom
5. Make a well in the dry ingred; add liquid, stir well until it is absorbed (this may take a few mins); the mix will be thick and unwieldy
6. Either scrape mix into bread tin, levelling out the top OR form into a round with floured hands and place on baking tray
7. Bake 45 mins, turning the tray once for even browning; a cocktail stick inserted in the middle should come out clean; if not leave a further 10 mins.  
8. Tap the underside; it it doesn't sound hollow, turn loaf upside down, return to oven for 10 mins

Freezing for small households: pre-slicing and placing a small square of greaseproof paper between each makes it easier to remove slices as needed 

Comments:
'Really, really great bread - I would have this at any time of day but have to restrict myself for dietary reasons!' Retired writer
'I really like the taste and the tartness of the berries and the oatmeal is a selling point.  The texture was good- maybe slightly dry in the crust - but stayed fresh the day after.  I prefer it at teatime, buttered, in small slices.' Senior council co-ordinator.  

Health Notes:

Oatmeal is considered a whole grain powerhouse and helps reduce bad cholesterol.  Doctors recommend eating it daily; if you're looking for a break from porridge or granola (see sugar-free Perfect Porridge/Ultra Granola), this loaf is a great substitute. 

Nutrient-rich molasses is high in iron, calcium and potassium. Though it is a sugar, it's low on the glycemic index, causes fewer spikes in blood sugar and can be a healthier option for diabetics. 

Tips:

• replace buttermilk with 3/4 0-fat (not thick) yoghurt plus 1/4 water Or, in a pinch, add 2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar to milk and leave 15 mins (fortified unsweetened, additive free plant milks work well here)
• extra large egg can be replaced with 2 small eggs but reduce liquid by 2 tablespoons
• thick slices of the bread work better in a toaster; otherwise the grill or a air fryer does a great job 
• this goes well with strong cheeses - double Gloucester with chives and onion, Gorgonzola, Cambozola, blue cheeses  

More free-of-common wheat on Nav Bar: Recipes II  (bottom page)

                        

Please leave a Comments in the box below 

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission. 

SPARKLY SWIRLY FREEZER COOKIES, make ahead kids' delight ; spelt option

Christmas biscuits that could stand in for baubles on a tree...older kids will love making them. 

first published as Christmas Swirl Cookies in 2018

A hint of peppermint, a pretty swirl, sparkly bits - kid/ults will love these
'If they came in a packet, I would eat the entire lot in one go'.'Very delicious. Great texture; not dry or hard.'

Crumbly and crunchy, breaking easily for dunking, these are first class American-style freezer cookies for the Christmas season.  

The cookie dough is made in advance, popped into the freezer, then, when needed, sliced (from frozen) in the quantities needed, baked and decorated.  The still-frozen dough goes back into the freezer immediately after slicing for another day.   

The swirly bit on these lovelies takes a teensy bit more work than a standard freezer cookie but hey, it's for Christmas!  

The dough itself is easy; older kids could handle it with ease.  Everyone else will love forming the dough into a spiral and, when cooked, rolling the biscuits in icing and sparkly coloured bits.  

Note that the recipe involves two different coloured doughs; therefore the recipe must be made TWICE in order to achieve the swirl!!

The blog is not a fan of artificial food colouring but Waitrose sells several basic colours without 'E' numbers.  However, the colour is not intense; 67's dough needed a good 2 teaspoons of Waitrose red colouring before it took on a pink hue; even then the finished product didn't show pink at all...

Still, no one noticed!

Cost: £4'ish without decorative flourishes (Nov 24)
Makes: 40-50 (2 good-size freezer rolls)

Ingreds: make this dough TWICE, one plain; one pink (see batches below)

   75gm/2.6oz unsalted dairy or plant butter that's not too cold or too warm; in cubes

   150gm/5.2oz white common flour  
     75gm/2.6oz granulated sugar
     pinch salt

     1 med egg
     1 well-cooked cooked egg yolk (left in boiled water at least 10 mins)

     Batch 1: 1/2 tsp vanilla
     Batch 2: 1/2 tsp essence of peppermint 
                  2-2.5 tsp red food colouring (or until dough takes on pink colour)

Icing:
   1/4 cup powdered sugar
   1 tbsp cherry brandy (adults) or water or dairy/plant milk plus 1/2 tsp water

   coloured sugar or other decorative bits: stars, coloured balls, hundreds & thousands (opt)*

Method:

1. Mix flour, sugar & salt
2. Add butter; roughly process or rub between fingers until mix is the size of peas 
3. Add raw egg, flavouring & well mashed egg yolk; work in with processor or hand mixer until well combined and coming together
4. Wrap in cling film; refrigerate 30 mins
5. Repeat with second batch of dough, colouring it pink 
6. When ready, turn white dough out onto lightly floured large piece of cling film; cover with similar sized cling film
7. Roll out to a thickness of 1/3inch/3mm to an 11x8inch/28x20cm rectangle  - this is your base; return to fridge until 2nd batch of dough is ready 
8. Repeat with pink dough but cut away 1/4inch on all four edges; centre the pink layer on top of white 
9. Roll up tightly along the long edge; wrap in cling film, twisting the ends to help the cookies take on a circular shape OR shape into a square or triangle & wrap in cling film
10. Bake within 3 days or freeze until ready to use
11. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 200c/180fan/375f
12. Cut in 1/4 inch/1cm slices using a sharp serrated knife (the dough can be sliced from frozen with the remainder going back in the fridge)
13. Place on baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper or a silicone mat, leaving a bit of space in between
14. Bake 10 mins, turning tray from back to front if one side browns quicker than the other
15. Cool on a baking rack

When completely cold:

1. Mix icing, spread on a flat plat 
2. Sprinkle coloured sugar on another flat plate
3. Take each cookie; roll the edges only in the icing, then in coloured sugar
4. Place on cooling rack until icing has set

*Waitrose, M&S, Morrisons

Comments:

• 'If these came in a packet, I would eat the entire lot in one go.  Good & crunchy; cute to look at as well.  I like the sparkly things.' Political Agent
• 'Very delicious.  Really good nice sweet biscuit with the sparkly bits adding a contrasting flavour. Great texture; not dry and hard.' Campaign manager.

Tips:

• 67 used white common flour & granulated sugar to keep the colours 'clean' but anyone concerned about sugar highs could substitute 75% white flour and 25% wholemeal and use light brown sugar.  The cookies  would also work with spelt flour.
• sadly neither of my guinea pigs could taste the peppermint but the un-iced ones at home had a noticeable peppermint flavour
• small households could make just one batch and divide it into two.
• 67 has not had a chance to test this recipe with plant margarine but has had excellent resuolts in other baking recipes using the plant margarine Tomor.  Work is underway on a spelt flour version of this recipe.

More on NavBar: Recipes I/Cookies

                              Please leave a Comment in the box below 

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission. 

CHRISTMAS SWIRL FREEZER COOKIES, seasonal kid/ult indulgence

So pretty they could stand in for baubles on a tree...

A hint of peppermint, a pretty swirl, sparkly bits - kid/ults will love these
'If they came in a packet, I would eat the entire lot in one go'.'Very delicious. Great texture; not dry or hard.'

Crumbly and crunchy, breaking easily for dunking, this is another of the very handy American-style freezer cookies which sit nicely frozen until you're ready to bake them in the quantities required.  

The dough is made in advance, popped into the freezer, then sliced and decorated when needed.  And, yes, the swirly bit takes a teensy bit more work than a standard freezer cookie but the dough itself is so easy-peasy, older kids could handle it.  

And it is Christmas.  And the kids will love them -- both rolling the biscuits in icing and coloured bits.  And the eating of them!

The blog is not a fan of artificial food colouring but, thankfully, Waitrose sells several basic colours without 'E' numbers.  However, the colour is not as intense; 67's dough needed a good 2 teaspoons of W/R red colouring before it took on a pink colour; even then the finished product didn't show pink at all...

Cost: £4 without decorative flourishes
Makes: 40-50 (2 good-size freezer rolls)

Ingreds: make this dough twice, one plain; one pink (see batches below)

   75gm/2.6oz unsalted butter that's not too cold or too warm; in cubes

   150gm/5.2oz white common flour  
     75gm/2.6oz granulated sugar
     pinch salt

     flavouring - see Batches below

     1 med egg
     1 well-cooked cooked egg yolk (left in boiled water at least 10 mins)

     Batch 1: 1/2 tsp vanilla
     Batch 2: 1/2 tsp essence of peppermint 
                  2-2.5 tsp red food colouring (or until dough takes on pink colour)

Icing:
   1/4 cup powdered sugar
   1 tbsp cherry brandy (adults) or water or milk plus 1/2 tsp water

   coloured sugar or other decorative bits: stars, coloured balls, hundreds & thousands (opt)*

Method:

1. Mix flour, sugar & salt
2. Add butter; process or rub between fingers until mix is the size of peas 
3. Add egg, flavouring & well mashed egg yolk; work in with processor or hand mixer until well combined and coming together
4. Wrap in cling film; refrigerate 30 mins
5. Repeat with second batch of dough, colouring it pink 
6. When ready, turn white dough out onto lightly floured large piece of cling film; cover with similar sized cling film
7. Roll out to a thickness of 1/3inch/3mm to an 11x8inch/28x20cm rectangle  - this is your base; set aside
8. Repeat with pink dough; cut away 1/4inch on all four edges; centre pink layer on top of white 
9. Roll up tightly along the long edge; wrap in cling film, twisting the ends to help the cookies take on a circular shape OR shape into a square or triangle & wrap in cling film
10. Bake within 3 days or freeze until ready to use
11. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 200c/180fan/375f
12. Cut in 1/4 inch/1cm slices using a sharp serrated knife (the dough can be sliced from frozen)
13. Place on baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper or a silicone mat, leaving just a bit of space in between
14. Bake 10 mins, turning tray from back to front if one side browns quicker than the other
15. Cool on a baking rack

When completely cold:

1. Mix icing 
2. Sprinkle coloured sugar on flat plate
3. Take each cookie; roll the edges only in the icing, then in coloured sugar
4. Place on cooling rack until icing has set

*Waitrose, M&S, Morrisons

Comments:

• 'If these came in a packet, I would eat the entire lot in one go.  Good and crunchy, and cute to look at as well.  I like the sparkly things.' Political Agent
• 'Very delicious.  Really good nice sweet biscuit with the sparkly bits adding a contrasting flavour.  Great texture; not dry and hard; breaks easily.' Campaign manager.

Tips:

• 67 used white common wheat flour & granulated sugar to keep the colours 'clean' but anyone concerned about sugar highs could substitute 75% white flour and 25% wholemeal and use light brown sugar.  The cookies  would also work with spelt flour.
• sadly neither of my guinea pigs could taste the peppermint but the un-iced ones at home had a noticeable peppermint flavour
• small households could make just one batch and divide it into two.

More on NavBar: Recipes I/Cookies

                              Please leave a Comment in the box below 

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission. 

LEFTOVERS: BANANA WAFFLES, lower fat & sugar, spelt flour (opt for common wheat)

Leftover bananas don't necessarily mean banana bread -- crispy creamy banana-studded Waffles are a tempting treat

Nutty Banana Spelt Waffles: worthy rival to Banana Bread for leftover fruit

updated 09.04.20; photo 31/10/18

Crisp warm fruity waffles are a delight: 67goingon50's have creamy chunks of banana hidden in the fluffy interior.  

For breakfast, brunch or even a light supper with bacon and sausages, these wonderful Waffles will become a family favourite. 

The waffles*, are yeast-free, lower-fat (if you avoid butter) and low-sugar  (though, of course, you can overdo it on the maple syrup!).

The Banana Waffles can be made in advance and reheated in the bottom of a moderate oven.  They can also be frozen.    

Cost: £1.75
Makes:8-10 single waffles  (recipe doubles easily)

ingred 
    1/3c walnuts, toasted & coarsely chopped (opt)
   
    110gm/3.8oz plain white spelt or common wheat flour
     40gm/1.4oz polenta/cornmeal (OR wholemeal flour)
        2 tsp baking powder
        pinch salt
      1/2 tsp cinnamon
      min 2-max 4 tbsp sugar

     1 lge egg, separated
     300ml milk
     2 tbsp melted butter or light veg oil

     1/2 tsp vanilla extract

     1 med banana, quartered vertically, in 1/4in/1/2cm pieces 

Optional: add a handful of chocolate chips to the batter OR drizzle cooked waffles with melted chocolate 

Method:

1. Toast walnuts in 180c/350f oven or air-fryer 5 mins; cool; coarsely chop
2. Preheat waffle iron
3. Whisk flour, cornmeal/wholelmeal flour, baking powder & salt
4. Combine milk, fat, vanilla & egg yolk; stir well - don't beat -  into dry ingred until just moistened; lumps are okay
5. Add bananas to batter
6. Whisk egg whites on low till frothy; then on high until firm peaks form, adding sugar gradually; fold into batter until no streaks remain
7. Rest batter at least 20 mins till thick
8. Bake in waffle iron 6-8 mins or golden 
9. Scatter over walnuts & pour on maple syrup (or honey, golden syrup or jam)

Comments:

'I liked these - especially the chunks of banana - and the nuts and syrup were lovely.  A few berries help, too.' Retired writer  

*adapted from food & wine

Tips:

• The Blogger liked the gentle graininess of the cornmeal but some might want to replace it with ordinary flour.  Those who haven't yet reduced sugar intake will probably want to add the maximum amount of sugar 
• if this is your first time making waffles, see How to...Waffles: Everything you Wanted to Know, incl. tips on freezing & reheating waffles plus cleaning the darned machine!
• If you don't have a waffle iron, do a Jaimie Oliver - cook then in a well-greased grill pan over med-high heat.  Release with tongs or a blunt knife slipped under a corner; flip sides 
• if you can't be bothered separating the egg, mix it whole into the milk; you'll still get an okay waffle

More waffles/pancakes on NavBar/Recipes I & II
Please leave a Comment in the box below
This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.