UrbnSpice

"A Taste Of Heart & Home"

Breads

Irish Treacle Brown Bread

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As much as I enjoy Irish Soda bread (a quick bread method) with a big pot of Lamb and Barley Soup, my favourite Irish bread is actually a traditional yeast-risen bread called Treacle Brown Bread.  Black treacle (molasses) is used to create a dense, dark and slightly sweet bread. It has a satisfying crunch when you take that first bite. A dark brown crisp crust is characteristic of this bread, which is the result of a unique double bake process.   

Irish Treacle Brown Bread | urbnspice.com
Irish Treacle Brown Bread

The Treacle Brown Bread tastes at its absolute best when served simply with a generous application of fresh salty butter.  To elevate the flavour combinations even further, serve it thinly sliced and buttered along with chunks of Old Cheddar and slathered with Brown Pickle relish. You will love this bread!

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Lucky Irish Potato Buns

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You just have to taste these buns to understand why they are called Lucky Irish Potato Buns. These delicious soft textured buns melt in your mouth and you feel so fortunate to have had an opportunity to enjoy one.

If you have never ventured into the world of yeast-raised bread or buns, this is a great recipe for you to start with. It is easy and quick to mix together. The rest of the process is just resting (proofing) time. This softly textured bun is perfect for Pulled Pork and Classic Coleslaw (recipes that will be posted soon) or you can simply enjoy with butter and homemade jam.

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Lucky Irish Potato Buns | urbnspice.com

“I’m a great believer in luck – and I find the harder I work, the more I find of it.”

Thomas Jefferson…

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Challenging the Art of Sourdough

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The Inspiration of UrbnSpice Series

I have wanted to challenge the art of sourdough from scratch for quite some time. The reason is simple: I have several family members who experience difficulty digesting wheat. Experimenting with recipes is something I have always enjoyed. My curiosity inspired me to develop sourdough bread recipes that would meet the needs of my family.

Spelt Bread | urbnspice.com

For the purpose of this article, I am working with a spelt sourdough starter – it has unusual characteristics but offers interesting opportunities to learn about how those characteristics affect the sourdough process. My background, which includes training in culinary school and working in bakeries, provides me with experience and skills to deal with the preliminaries of starters & a variety of bread

Most of my colleagues will agree that once you have worked with different types of dough, one develops a level of personal satisfaction that is difficult to describe. There is nothing more relaxing to me than standing at a floured baker’s bench kneading the dough in a rhythmic motion, which transforms a weighed amount of dough into a smooth boule, loaf or roll. The aroma and the taste of freshly baked bread is the reward that you keep coming back for. There is nothing like it!

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Bannock – Have you tried it lately?

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Kids in the Kitchen Series

Have you made Bannock lately? Do you know what you are missing?  Bannock is a variety of fry bread.  It originated in Scotland and was passed on to the Indigenous Peoples of Canada by the Scottish fur traders.  Historically, bannock was cooked over an open fire in a cast iron pan or in front of a campfire on a stick.  When I was first shown how to make this traditional bread, I was taught to wrap the dough around a stick.  The stick was then placed in the ground near the fire, and the heat from the fire would bake the bannock in just a few minutes.  It is one of my favourite childhood memories that I enjoy sharing with children.Bannock | urbnspice.com

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