0 Buttery & Flaky Sourdough Biscuits

This is a simple & easy recipe that is a great way to use up any of your sourdough discard. Don't have starter? Then go here to make your own sourdough starter that is ready in 5-7 days, or try this Flaky Biscuit recipe that uses buttermilk. 

Look at those layers!

Now imagine taking a bite.... crispy & buttery outside, with a soft, tender inside,  & a hint of sourdough, just begging for a large pat of butter and sweet jam...or a drizzle of honey.

TIP: Weigh your flour, using a kitchen scale. Use too much, and your biscuits will be heavy & dense. Use too little, and they'll spread out and be thin. 

TIP: Cover your kitchen scale with a large plastic bag or plastic wrap, to keep it clean. 🙂

TIP: Grate your butter. This works better if your butter is COLD. Frozen butter is a little harder to grate, but cold refrigerated butter works well, too. I love this grater that doubles as a container.

Stir the COLD butter into the flour mixture. 

SOURDOUGH TIP: Use a 100% hydrated sourdough starter. This means an equal ratio of starter/flour/water by weight. For example, 2oz starter, 2oz water, 2 oz all purpose flour. For me, this pours out more easily and mixes into the flour more readily.

Stir until mixture looks like this. It's ok if there are a few dry pieces. This is a NO KNEAD dough, so you don't want to handle it too much or add too much flour. If dough is too dry and crumbly, you can add a touch of milk or starter until it looks like this...

Pat this dough onto a clean & lightly floured surface and fold it into thirds like a letter....1/3 to the middle...

 

...and the other third on top. This will create the LAYERS that are so desirable in a buttery, flaky biscuit.

Roll lightly into a 10"x4" rectangle that is 1" thick. Cut with a sharp knife, or sharp 2.5" biscuit cutter. I like cutting these into squares to avoid re-rolling the scraps, which can toughen the dough. 

Look at those LAYERS!

Hurry and brush these biscuits with cream or milk (makes 'em golden & crispy) and get those puppies into the oven while the dough is still COLD. The blast of heat from the oven will help these buttery biscuits RISE & create those lovely LAYERS.

Here are the biscuits, fresh out of the oven....

You gotta have one of them hot....with melted butter. Oh, so good!

Flaky Buttery Sourdough Biscuits

Yield: 6 biscuits

Author: Frieda Franchina, adapted from King Arthur Flour

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min

This is a great way to use up any sourdough discard. I use 100% hydration* starter. It's important to weigh your ingredients and use COLD butter for best results. Enjoy alone, as a breakfast biscuit, or try any of the savory options below.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup COLD butter, grated or thinly sliced (salted or unsalted)
• 1 cup (120 grams) all purpose flour 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (increase to 3/4 teaspoon if using Salted butter)
• 1 cup (227 grams) sourdough starter discard (or unfed starter)
• 1 Tablespoon of milk or cream, to brush on top

Instructions:

How to Make Flaky Buttery Sourdough Biscuits

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Prepare a large baking sheet: lightly greasing, using parchment or silicone baking liner.
2. Grate the cold butter or thinly slice it. Set it aside.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Add the cold, grated butter to the flour mixture, coating all the butter pieces. 
5. Add the starter, mixing gently by hand or by spatula. Dough should come together, with a few dry pieces.
6. Place dough onto lightly floured surface and pat it down to 1" thick rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds: Lift one end of the dough and fold it to the middle. Lift the other end of the dough and fold it over on TOP of the first fold. 
7. Lightly flour and roll to a 10"x4" rectangle that is 1" thick. With a sharp knife, cut into 6 equal squares.  *For Round Biscuits: Roll into a circle and use a sharp 2.5" round cutter. Gently push the scraps together to form a single biscuit that is 1" thick. 
8. Place biscuits on prepared baking sheet, about 2" apart. Brush tops of biscuits with milk or cream.
9. Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown.
10. Remove biscuits from oven & serve hot. Or cool, put into baggie and store at room temp for up to a week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Note: If your starter is thick and your dough is dry and crumbly, add a tablespoon of milk until the dough comes together. *100% hydration is equal parts of starter, water and flour by weight. 

Savory Biscuits: Before "folding" the biscuit dough into thirds, add any of the following - grated sharp cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, cooked bacon pieces, freshly chopped chives, etc. Fold dough into thirds and roll into a 10"x4" rectangle. Cut into 6 squares or triangles & bake as directed.

0 Easy, Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread

I love a crusty loaf of artisan sourdough bread, but this soft, tender, sliceable sourdough bread is perfect for an every day sandwich bread! The dough is silky soft and so easy to work with. I have made several loaves and hamburger buns with it. It doesn't have the overly sour tang, but it still has a great flavor.
This recipe from King Arthur Flour. This is an easy and simple recipe, but has a couple of specialty ingredients that I did not have on hand, so I adapted it with great results.

ADDED YEAST?
It took me by surprise that this recipe calls for two teaspoons of yeast. The reason for this is two fold:

1. It speeds up the rising process, and
2. It keeps the flavor very mild (not overly sour).

So, why use the sourdough starter if yeast is used?
Sourdough starter adds flavor, increases dough strength, and enhances the shelf life of the bread. I'm also certain that the acidic qualities of the starter also tenderize the bread for a softer texture.
This recipe is also an "enriched" bread that has milk, butter and sugar, so it is possible that the addition of yeast helps.
Next time, I will omit the yeast (as long as my starter is active), and see how it turns out. I may also try adding 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid, which will increase the tang of the bread, allowing me a shorter rising time.

"Fed" starter on the left, Making Levain on my OXO digital scale.

LEVAIN
The first thing the recipe has you make is a levain. Levain is French for "starter," but in this case, it means what you use for the recipe, not what you keep in the fridge to store as your starter. If you have never made a sourdough starter, you can find my step by step process here.

The levain uses a "fed" sourdough starter. This means using a sourdough starter that has been fed within the last 12 hours. I remove 2 oz of starter and feed it with a 1:1:1 ratio, meaning 2 oz starter, 2 oz water, 2 oz flour. Any remaining starter goes into a "Discard" jar for using in pancakes, waffles or crepes.
TIP: Using a digital kitchen scale is VERY HELPFUL when making bread, ensuring you get consistent results each and every time. If you don't have a kitchen scale, you can use this chart to convert the measurements. Be sure to stir or fluff up your flour before using a measuring cup!
TIP: Feed your starter in the morning, and use it to make the levain in the evening, the night before you want to make bread, as it can take up to 12 hours at 70°F to double or ripen. This will allow you more time to make your bread during the day. Use an elastic or hair ponytail holder on the jar to mark the initial level of your starter. You can see in the picture above that my "fed" starter has doubled, and is ready to make levain.

Levain doubled and ready to use. Dough smooth and elastic. Dough proofed and ready to shape.

DOUGH
Milk vs Dry/Instant Powdered Milk
Once the levain has doubled, you can make your bread dough by hand or in a stand mixer with a dough hook. The recipe calls for Special Dry Milk or instant powdered milk, but I choose to use fresh milk and warm it up in my microwave with the butter to 90°-100°F. A thermometer is handy, but not necessary, as you can stick a clean finger into your milk and see if it's "baby bottle warm," not too hot, not too cool.
Special Dry Milk is powdered milk that is heated to a higher temperature and used in many commercial bakeries. You can easily use powdered milk, if you have that on hand. Powdered milk is expensive where I live and goes rancid easily (I store it in my freezer for a longer shelf life), and using fresh milk worked well in this recipe.

The ingredients came together, making a soft, smooth dough that wasn't sticky.
TIP: If you find that your dough is sticky, try kneading it for an additional 5-10 minutes.

PROOFING
Proofing means letting the dough rise till double. You can find some great tips for proofing your bread dough in your microwave, oven, or even your Instant Pot pressure cooker here. Using an Instant Pot with a Yogurt setting has been so helpful for the first rise. Having a perfectly warm environment will help your dough rise more quickly.

SHAPE, RISE, & BAKE
Since this bread makes two loaves, I decided to use half of the dough to make hamburger buns. I cut 4 oz portions and shaped them into balls, another great reason to have a digital scale! Dough is ready to bake with it has risen about 1" above the rim of the 8x4 loaf pan or doubled in size.
Bake in your preheated oven for 30-35 min (15-20 min for hamburger buns)
TIP: Lightly spray your clean counter with oil spray instead of using flour while rolling and shaping. If you have a natural stone (granite) counter, make sure it is sealed; otherwise it will soak up the oil. For a "floured" look, I dusted the tops of my shaped dough with all purpose flour.
TIP: Cover the dough lightly with plastic wrap while shaping, to prevent them from drying out.
Allow the dough to come to about double in size and bake in your preheated oven.
TIP: Use the correct loaf pan size for your recipe. I really like the medium 8"x4" loaf pan size, as the slices fit nicely in a sandwich size baggie. Lightly grease your pans, even if they are non-stick.
TIP: Immediately remove your bread from their pans and place them on a cooling rack. Resist the urge to cut into hot bread as it is still cooking inside. Cool completely before slicing!

I love, love, LOVE this bread and will make it many more times! It is giving me an incentive to keep my starter fed weekly (Friday Feed Day) and experimenting with new recipes.
Recipes:
Egg Salad Sandwich
Juicy Hamburger Patties
Corn Chowder

Egg Salad Sandwich using hard boiled eggs made in my Instant Pot

Juicy Hamburger Patties on a Soursough bun

Corn Chowder made with frozen corn cooked in my Instant Pot

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Sourdough Sandwich Bread-

by Frieda Franchina, adapted from KingArthurFlour  May-25-2020

This soft, tender & chewy sourdough bread is perfect for sandwiches, hamburger buns or dinner rolls. Refresh (feed) your starter (2 oz of each: starter, water, flour) in the morning and make your levain with it the night before, allowing you to bake your bread the next day.

Ingredients

• LEVAIN
• 3 Tablespoons (44g) fed sourdough starter
• 1/2 cup +1 Tablespoon (128g) room temp water
• 1 cup +1 Tablespoon (128g) unbleached all purpose or bread flour
• DOUGH
• All the levain
• 1 1/2 cups (360g) milk*
• 4 Tablespoons butter or margarine, cut into 4-8 pieces
• 5 1/4 cups (631g) unbleached all purpose or bread flour
• 2 teaspoons of instant yeast**
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

1. Make the levain: Mix the fed starter, water, and flour together in a glass or food safe plastic container (with room to double), and cover lightly with plastic wrap. It will take about 12 hours to double at room temperature.2. Make the dough: Put the levain in a bowl or stand mixer.3. Put the milk and butter into a medium bowl and warm it in the microwave (50% power 4 minutes), until butter is almost melted. You can also use the stove warm the milk, if desired. Temperature should be between 90°F- 100°F.4. Pour this mixture into the bowl of levain.5. Add the flour, yeast, sugar and salt on top.6. Using a dough hook and the lowest setting of your mixer, gradually increasing to the next setting, knead the dough until dough cleans the sides of the bowl & you have a smooth and slightly tacky dough (not wet or sticky).7. Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, turning over to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled, about 1-2 hours. 8. Divide the dough in half and shape into two 8" logs, pinching seams closed. Place dough seam side down into lightly greased 8"x4" loaf pans. Cover lightly with plastic wrap. Let the shaped loaves rise until they are about 1" above the rim of the pan, about an hour.10. Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake for 30-35 minutes, covering the tops loosely with aluminum foil during the last 10 minutes to prevent over browning. Immediately remove from loaf pans and place on a cooling rack. Let cool completely before slicing.
Hamburger Buns: Divide dough into 12 equal portions (4 oz), forming into balls, pinching seams closed and placing on lightly greased baking sheet, seam side down. Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 15-20 minutes.
Dinner Rolls: Divide dough into 24 equal portions (2oz), put on lightly greased baking sheet, and bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 12-14 minutes.
NOTES
*Replace with instant powdered milk (6Tablespoons or 50g) and 1 1/2 cups room temp water
**Can omit instant yeast, but plan on adding more rising time, about 4-5 hours till double.

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 35 mins Total time: 3 hour 50 mins Yield: 2 loaves, 12 buns or 24 rolls

2 Proofing Bread Dough in Your Instant Pot & Other Options

Proofing is the process of yeast actively working in your bread dough, causing it to rise. Bread dough rises well in a warm environment and here are a few ways to proof your dough, including the Instant Pot! Visit my Bread Gallery for lots of bread recipes and inspiration.

Why is Proofing Important?
Proofing (also called proving) develops overall flavor and texture of your bread. Dough that is not proved well can be densely textured, heavy and flat in flavor.

Temperature 
The ideal temperature for most bread dough is 80°F - 90°F. Warmer temps can cause bread to rise too quickly, then collapse.  In dough that contain butter, (dinner rolls, croissants) warmer temperatures can cause the butter to leak out of the dough.

Bread dough rises more quickly if it's warmer than room temp. Dough that rises in two hours at a 73°F room temp will take one hour at 90°F. The killing point of yeast is 140°F, so you definitely don't want to proof bread dough in temps this high.

Bread dough will will proof, or rise, even in cold temperatures, but at a much slower rate. This colder proofing process is often called "fermentation," and develops a flavor profile that is similar to a sourdough bread. My Rustic No Knead bread dough sits at room temperature, overnight, for at least 12-18 hours. In this case, slower is better.

Dough that has doubled in size in loaf pan

Methods of Proving Your Bread Dough
There are several different ways and I've listed them in the order that I use most often. Really, any warm place, away from drafts will do. (Laundry room near the dryer is an example) Make sure your dough is lightly oiled to keep it from forming a dried skin on the surface and cover it with plastic wrap, foil, or clean kitchen towel. Do not place dough in direct sunlight, as it will be too warm.

One batch of my dinner rolls, rising in my 6 quart Instant Pot

Instant Pot (Yogurt setting)
If you have a pressure cooker with a yogurt setting, you can use it to proof your dough.
(See Note, if you have a model with the Sous Vide setting)
1. Lightly oil the bottom of your insert.
2. Place the dough in the insert, flip it over, so the top is oiled.
3. Cover with plastic wrap, then put a dinner plate, pie plate or lid from your pots & pans that will fit.
4. Select Yogurt Low for one hour.
     Do Not use the pressure cooker lid! Your dough can rise to the top of the lid, stick and make a big mess.
Your dough can be ready in as little as 30-60 minutes, depending on your altitude.
Higher elevations allow dough to rise more quickly.
Some cookers, like the Instant Pot, have at least 2 yogurt settings, one for heating the milk and one for incubating the yogurt. You will want to use the lowest Yogurt setting for proofing bread:

• Yogurt Low/Less = 86°-93°F
• Yogurt Normal/Medium = 96°-109°F

If your pressure cooker has a Custom or Sous Vide setting, select a temp no higher than 90°F for best results. *NOTE* If you have the SV Model of Instant Pot, you can't use the yogurt setting without its lid. You'll have to use the Sous Vide setting, which can be used without the pressure cooker lid.

If your pressure cooker does NOT have a yogurt setting, I recommend using any of the methods listed below. (Do NOT use the Keep Warm setting, as it is about 145°F and too hot)

Microwave Oven
This is my next favorite option that works really well for the first rise. Put your covered dough into your microwave and place a large measuring cup or drinking cup of very hot water along with it. Close the door and keep it closed to maintain the warmth. I measured the temp to be around 80°F, which is perfect.

Oven
This is my favorite option for proofing dough that is shaped and in the pan, which is the second rise. You can also use it for your first rise as well.
Using your oven helps maintain the temperature by keeping it in a self contained area. It's basically a homemade "proofing box." Most oven temperatures will NOT go below 200°F. I've tried turning on the oven, then turning it off, but different ovens come to temp at different rates, AND I've forgotten to turn it OFF! These options are better and more consistent:
Standard oven: You do not need to turn your oven on.
1. Put a 9x13 pan of steaming hot water on the bottom rack.
2. Place your covered dough on a second rack above it.
3. Close the door and keep it closed to maintain the warmth.
The steam will warm up the oven to the correct temperature to help your dough rise.
Convection Oven: Your convection oven may have a bread proof! If so, use this setting according to manufacturer directions.
Dehydrator: Your oven may have a dehydrator setting. If it is close to 100°F, you can use it. Dehydrators use a fan, so make sure your dough is covered well with plastic wrap.
Air Fryer: (I haven't tried this method) My Instant Pot Vortex Plus Air fryer has a dehydrator setting. The lowest temp is 105°F, which can be used. You will need to make sure your dough is covered tightly with plastic wrap, or the surface of the dough will dry out and crack. If there's room to include a tall drinking glass of hot water, include it with your dough.

Electric blanket or heating pad
This is an option I've seen used, but haven't tried. If your electric blanket or heating pad doesn't have an "auto-off" feature, it can be worth trying.
1. Select the lowest temperature setting and place a clean kitchen towel on top.
2. Put your covered bread dough on the kitchen towel.
3. Covering the top with an additional kitchen towel will also help keep it warm.

Dough that has doubled in size

FAQ
How do I know when my bread dough has 'doubled in size'?
1. You can use a container with markings to show size. See above photo.
2. Poke the dough lightly with your fingertip or knuckle. (I use this with bread loaves)
     If the dent bounces back quickly, it needs more time.
     If it collapses, it's risen too long.
     If it makes a dent and starts to rise slowly, it's ready.
3. Charmin test: (I use this on dinner rolls)
Squeeze the shaped dough lightly with thumb and forefinger. It should feel airy, slightly squishy and bounce back.

Why does bread dough need to rise twice?
Dough that is proved twice results in a better gluten structure. It will have smaller holes, rather than large, gaping holes. Your first rise will contain large air holes, so pushing all the air out of it, shaping and letting it rise again will give you a better crumb, or texture. The second rise will be shorter than the first rise.

How many times can I proof my bread?
Two times, unless you are using a rapid rise yeast (only one rise). The first proofing is done in a bowl, before shaping. The second proof is after the dough has been shaped and before baking.

Can bread dough rise too long?
Yes. Over proofed dough can have a gummy, crumbly texture and have a sour, bitter taste. Shaped bread dough that has risen too long can collapse during baking.

Help! My dough proofed too long and it's collapsed. What can I do?
Over-proofed dough is bubbly, air bubbles have popped and the dough may be sticky. When poked, it sinks and doesn't spring back.
To rescue, gather up the dough with floured hands or dough scraper, press down to remove the gas, re-shape and let rise. *Note: the rising time will be much shorter, so keep an eye on your dough!

My bread is dense, not light and fluffy. What happened?
Your dough did not rise long enough. It is also possible that too much flour was used.

0 Which Yeast to Use for Bread

Image from KingArthurFlour.com

There are two types of yeast you can use for making bread. Active or Instant. Use this guide to help you determine which yeast to use, how much, how to store it, and what you can use if yeast is not available to make bread. I use instant yeast 90% of the time and when instant yeast is not available, I use active dry yeast.

Active Dry Yeast (ADY)
Also known as Baker's Yeast, most recipes call for active dry yeast. It consists of long, granules of yeast, with live yeast cells, and a dry, outer shell. It is activated when warm water or liquid is added, hence the definition of "active dry yeast." Active dry yeast takes longer to work than instant yeast.
Brands: Red Star, Fleschmann's
Storage: Keep in a cool, dry place. Do not expose to heat, air or moisture. Once opened, store in an airtight container and keep in your fridge (6 months) or freezer (up to a year if opened). Unopened yeast can be stored in a freezer with good results for up to 5-6 years!
One Packet = 2 1/4 teaspoons (7g) One packet will rise bread containing  up to 4 cups of flour.
How to Use: You can "activate" your yeast in warm water, or mix it in with half the flour in your recipe. This will let you know that your yeast is active and working.
     With water: Add 1 teaspoon of sugar to 1/2 cup of warm (100°-120°F) water. Stir until dissolved. Add up to 2 Tablespoons of ADY Let mixture sit for 5-10 minutes. You should see foam forming on the surface. Subtract 1/2 cup liquid from your bread recipe and this mixture to your ingredients.
     With flour: Measure half of the flour called for in the recipe. Add your ADY, mixing well. Pour in your warm (100°-120°F) water, milk or liquid and stir well. Let sit for about 15 minutes. You should notice small bubbles forming on top of the wet dough. This is also known as "sponging."

Instant Yeast
Instant yeast is dry yeast that consist of smaller granules than active dry yeast. Since it absorbs liquid more quickly, it can be mixed in directly to the flour, and begin proofing your dough more quickly.
Brands: Saf-Instant, Fleschmann's
Storage: Keep in a cool, dry place. Do not expose to heat, air or moisture. Once opened, store in an airtight container and keep in your fridge (6 months) or freezer (up to a year).
One Packet = 2 1/4 teaspoons (7g)
How to Use: Mix your yeast directly into your flour. If your recipe calls for active dry yeast, use 25% less or the same amount.

Rapid Rise Yeast
Allows bread to rise 50% more quickly than other dry yeast. Do not use for refrigerated or frozen bread dough. (No knead bread dough or any breads that require a long rise). It is only good for one rise, so dough is mixed, shaped, proofed & baked.
Red Star Quick-Rise, Fleischmann's RapidRise

Bread Machine Yeast
Bread machine yeast is Instant yeast. Do not use active dry yeast in a bread machine.

SAF-GOLD:
Specially formulated for very sweet breads - Hawaiian bread/rolls, Panetone, Portuguese sweet bread, challah. (Not cinnamon or dinner rolls) Any recipe calling for more than 1 Tablespoon of sugar per cup of flour would benefit from this specialty yeast, as it allows sweet dough to rise more quickly without getting a fermented, sour taste.


FAQ
My recipe calls for Active Dry yeast. Can I use Instant yeast?
Yes, you can use both active dry and instant yeast interchangeably, using the same amounts.

My recipe calls for active dry or instant yeast. Can I use rapid rise yeast instead?
Yes, use 25% less than what the recipe calls for.

My recipe calls for rapid rise yeast. Can I use active or instant yeast as a substitute?
Yes, use 25% more. For example, if the recipe calls for 1 teaspoon quick rise yeast, use 1 1/4 teaspoons of active or instant yeast.

Can you use too much yeast?
Yes. Using too much yeast will give bread a very "yeasty" taste. It can also cause the bread to go flat.

What if I can't find yeast? Can I still make bread?
You can make your own sour dough starter with just flour, water or juice. If you don't want to make or use a sourdough starter, you can make quick breads that use baking powder as a leavening agent: Biscuits, flour tortillas, Soda Bread

Can I use Wine yeast to make bread?
In short, yes, but you are better sticking with yeast formulated for making bread, as you may end up with an alcoholic, bitter tasting bread.

What if my yeast isn't bubbling?
If you do not see any foaming or bubbling after 15 minutes, your yeast is too old or your liquid was too warm (over 120°F).

Can you make yeast rise faster?
The warmer the environment, the more quickly your dough will rise. Bread made at higher elevations will also rise more quickly.

0 Easy Crusty Irish Soda Bread!

After years of making many different yeasted breads, I finally made an Irish Soda Bread! Crusty, buttery, with a biscuit-like texture, this bread will pair well with this Irish Beef Stew or any soup.

Unlike my Flaky Buttery Biscuits, this Irish Soda bread has the addition of egg and sugar, making it slightly sweet with a tender interior. Buttermilk is used for this recipe, but you can make a soured milk with lemon juice + milk as a great substitute or use a powdered buttermilk.

It is important that you measure your flour carefully, and do not over-work or knead this dough too much, as it will toughen or make the loaf very dense. 

Tip: To measure your flour, stir the flour with your measuring cup. This will add air to your flour and help you measure it more accurately.

Take a scoop of flour, do not tap it down, but simply slide the flat edge of a table knife across the top. 

The other difference from the Flaky Biscuit recipe is that this recipe uses softened butter.

Break up the butter into tablespoons and mash it with a fork or pastry blender. The flour mixture should have lumps the size of peas.

After the buttermilk/egg mixture is poured onto the flour, use a fork or spatula to mix the dough until you don't see any dry flour.

This very much looks like a shaggy, dry biscuit dough, but it will come together, I promise!

Put this dough onto a lightly floured surface or onto your silicone baking sheet and form a ball by pushing the dough together.

Tip: Resist the urge to knead this dough. All you need to dough is push it together and roll it into a ball.

Use a pastry brush to brush the milk/butter mixture onto the outside of the dough. This will give the soda bread it's golden, crusty crumb.

Use a sharp knife to cut an "X" , 1/2" deep, on top of the dough. Don't cut very deep, like I did, otherwise your bread will "open up" like a flower.

Bake this in a preheated 375°F oven for 45-50 minutes.

A toothpick inserted into the center of the dough that comes out clean will tell you it is done.

Crusty, buttery, with a tender interior. I warmed up a large bowl of Irish Beef Stew and enjoyed a wonderful lunch!

Easy Crusty Irish Soda Bread
adapted from MP Welty on Allrecipes
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 50 min
Ingredients
4 cups all purpose or bread flour, stirred and measured
2-4 tablespoons of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (one stick) butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk (or sour milk=1 Tablespoon lemon juice+enough milk to equal 1 cup)
1 extra large egg (if using a smaller egg, use an additional Tablespoon of milk)
For top of loaf:
1 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 Tablespoon milk

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking pan or use parchment, or silicone baking sheet.
2. Prepare sour milk, if using. Mix lemon juice with milk and let sit for 5 minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
4. Cut butter into tablespoon portions and put into the flour. Using a fork or pastry blender, mash the butter pieces into the flour until no butter is visible and flour mixture has pea-sized lumps.
5. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk (or soured milk) and egg. Pour mixture into flour.
6. Stir with fork or spatula until no dry flour is visible.
7. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Push dough together and roll to form a ball. Resist the urge to knead the dough, as it will toughen it. Put ball of dough onto prepared baking sheet.
9. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
9. Mix the 1 Tablespoon of melted butter with 1 Tablespoon of milk. Brush the entire surface of the dough with mixture.
10. With a sharp knife, cut a large "X", 1/2" deep into the center of the loaf.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, rotating the baking sheet 180° half way during baking, till toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool loaf of bread on a wire rack. Slice and enjoy!

Mix in options: 3/4 cup raisins, craisins, or currents. Can use a gluten free flour mixture, such as Red Mills Gluten free flour.

12 Apple Butter - Pressure Cooker

Apple Butter is essentially a super thickened applesauce, cooked slowly so the sugar caramelizes and turns into this sweet, cinnamon-y, deep brown spread that is a wonderful Fall treat. Since apples naturally contain pectin, it is very similar to an apple jelly.

Most recipes call for slow cooking over 14-20 hours, and using your pressure cooker will definitely help reduce this cooking time!

This was my first time making apple butter and I wasn't sure how "thick" the consistency should be. Apple butter does thicken while it cools, so if it is too thick for you, you can add some apple juice to thin it out to your desired texture. Apples can vary widely in water content, depending on the variety and growing conditions.

I used my Instant Pot Ceramic liner for making this apple butter. I loved the fact that I didn't have to worry about the sauce burning and sticking to the pot. This ceramic liner is great for anything that can stick: rice, oatmeal, Macaroni & Cheese.

You will want to use a heat resistant silicone spatula or a wooden spoon while stirring, as not to scratch the finish.

Apples that work best are sweet, meaty apples like Gala, McIntosh, Winesap or any of the baking apples found on this applesauce post. Using a mix of apples will create a unique final product. Don't use Granny Smith or Honey Crisp apples as they are too tart or too sweet for this recipe.

• Braeburn - sweet/tart
• Cameo
• Cortland - similar to McIntosh, but sweeter/tarter
• Crispin (Mutsu)
• Empire - very sweet when baked
• Fuji -sweet/tart,watery
• Gala - thin skinned, but grainy texture
• Golden Delicious - sweet, thin skinned
• Gravenstein
• Ida Red
• Jonagold - sweet, thin skinned
• Jonamac
• Jonathan
• Liberty
• McIntosh - strong structure of pectin
• Newtown Pippin
• Rome Beauty - mild, thick skin
• Stayman
• Winesap

Cutting & Peeling I love using this Apple corer, peeler, spiralizer. It is so FAST  - it took less than 10 minutes to prep 4 pounds of apples.

You can opt to leave the peels on, but you do need to core and cut the apples. This Apple Slicer/Corer does a quick job.

Sugars 

This recipe uses 1 cup of sugar for every pound of apples, which is very sweet. You can use any combination of sugars, and brown sugar will give your apple butter a taste of molasses. Sugar is necessary in making preserves to help it set up, gel or thicken, and increase the shelf life.

You can reduce the amount of sugars, but your finished apple butter may be more runny, need a longer cooking time, and end up yielding less. Since I am planning to can or preserve this apple butter, the recommended amount of sugar will ensure that it will have the maximum shelf life. When sugar is decreased, the shelf life of your apple butter is decreased.

TIP: When the apple butter is cooking down, it may look lava-like, bubbling and popping from your cooker. If this is the case, you can use a spatter screen, or a large mesh strainer to help. Your other option is to reduce the heat, using the highest slow cooker setting or simmer setting of your cooker.

This apple butter turned out much better than I anticipated - got a "double thumbs up" from all of my family members and I can't wait to try it with other foods!

Use this utterly delicious spread on freshly baked bread, toast, pancakes, muffins, swirl it through oatmeal, fresh yogurt, mix in smoothies, spread on crepes, waffles, or make a cookie sandwich filling with oatmeal cookies.

Enjoy!

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Apple Butter - Pressure Cook

by Frieda Franchina, adapted from Ball Blue Book  September-13-2017

Thick, rich, jam-like spread, traditionally known as "Apple Butter," is spiced with cinnamon and cloves for a treat that is wonderful spread on toast, waffles, muffins, etc....

Ingredients

• 4 pounds of apples, about 16 medium ( I used 13 McIntosh apples)
• 1/4 cup water, apple juice, or yogurt whey
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 4 cups granulated or brown sugar, optional, see note*

Instructions

1. Wash apples. Core & cut the apples into eighths. You can peel the apples, if desired.2. Put apples into pressure cooker insert.3. Pour water or apple juice into cooker.4. Dump sugars and spices on top of apples; Do Not Stir.5. Close the pressure cooker lid & close the pressure cooker valve.6. Select HIGH pressure for 10-15 minutes. Large cut apples will take a longer time.7. When cook time has finished, use at least a 15 minute natural release. You can use a full natural release, if desired. 8. Open pressure cooker valve and lid. 9. Puree the apples with a potato masher, immersion blender or food processor. 10. With the pureed apples in the pressure cooker, select Saute LOW or a low browning setting. Set your timer for 30 minutes, as you will need to restart the Saute setting every 30 minutes. Stir every 30 minutes, until desired thickness is reached, about 45-90 minutes. Stirring helps keep the spattering down, so as the apple butter thickens, stir more frequently. 
If your setting is too hot, switch to a slow cook setting.To check for consistency, put a small plate in the freezer for a few minutes. Put a small spoonful of apple butter onto the chilled plate. If liquid leaches out around the apple butter, it needs to cook a little longer. If not, it is ready. Keeps well in the refrigerator for 1-3 weeks.
Freezer 1-3 months
Process for water bath canning for up to a 2 year shelf life
*Note: I used a 50/50 mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar. This was the amount of sugar recommended for bottling the apple butter, but you can reduce this amount if you wish. The sugars help thicken and caramelize the apple butter and contribute to the shelf life.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 1 hour 30 mins Total time: 2 hours  Yield: 5-6 cups

13 Orange, Lemon or Lime Curd - Pressure Cooker & Stove Top

What is Orange Curd?

Orange, or any fruit curd is a creamy spread or topping made with butter, eggs, sugar, citrus juice and zest.

It's not a jam or preserve. It looks like a pudding, but it doesn't taste like one. Curd has more juice and zest, for a more intense flavor. Other than dipping a spoon into a large jar of citrusy curd and savoring it by the spoonful, where else would you use curd?

Use it on bread or scones, as an alternative for jams. You can find curd in cake fillings, pastries and small tarts. Spread it on top of a cheesecake. Try it with toast, waffles, biscuits, pancakes, or muffins.

You can even mix curd with whipping cream for a mousse-like filling for cream puffs.

The first thing I used my curd with was my homemade yogurt. A couple of spoonfuls is all you need to transform plain, ordinary yogurt into something out of this world...

Oh .... my ....

Hurry, make this right now!!

You can make this on the stove top (directions at the bottom of this post) or use your pressure cooker. Using a pressure cooker will allow you to walk away from it, instead of stirring it constantly on the stove.

You can also sub the orange juice for bottled lemon juice or bottled key lime juice. Nellie & Joe's is my absolute favorite key lime juice and is SO much better than juicing a million little key limes...

1.  Roll a clean, washed orange on a flat surface, pushing it as you roll it. This breaks the membranes inside the orange and helps release more juice.

2.  Using a citrus zester, grate the skin of the orange, being careful not to scrape off the bitter white pith under the orange skin.

3.  Set a fine mesh strainer over a bowl or large measuring cup. Cut the orange in half and using a citrus reamer, squeeze and rotate the orange, releasing the pulp and juice. Push the pulp through the sieve with a large spoon or silicone spatula.

4.  In a medium 1.5 quart oven safe bowl,  or large 4 cup measure, whisk the eggs and yolks till smooth. Whisk in sugar, orange peel, and melted butter. You can use an immersion blender for this step.

5.  Divide between 2 wide mouth pint canning jars.

If you use canning jars, place the lid and ring onto the jar, and turn the lid finger tip tight.  This means to screw the lid on just till you start to feel resistance when you tighten.

if you are using the bowl to mix/pressure cook your curd, cover the bowl with aluminum foil, crimp it at the rim, and set it on an 18"-20" long piece of aluminum foil that is folded into a 3" wide strip to use as a lifter to place it in/out of the pressure cooker. I really like this method, as it saves me another dish to clean and the risk of it overflowing into your pressure cooker is very low. I save and re-use the foil strip.

6. Put 2 cups of water into the pressure cooker liner, include the wire trivet, and place the 2 jars of curd (or aluminum covered bowl of curd) on top of the trivet.

Close/lock the pressure cooker, set the valve to sealing/closed, and select HIGH pressure for 9 minutes.

When the pressure cooker beeps, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes.

At the end of 10 minutes, open the pressure valve to release the rest of the pressure.

7. Using a canning jar lifter, carefully remove the hot jars and set on a wire cooling rack.

8. Using hot pads, carefully remove the ring and lid.  Stir the curd well. If you want, you can push the curd through a fine mesh strainer. Doing this will help create a very smooth texture and remove most of the orange zest.

9. Allow the curd to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Put the cooled curd in the fridge for at least 4-6 hours to set. Finished curd will keep in the fridge for up to one month.

Smooth, creamy, irresistible...

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Orange Curd - Pressure Cooker

by Frieda Franchina April-13-2017

A decadent fruit based custard that is perfect stirred into yogurt, spread onto toast, waffles, used a cake fillings or in tarts or pastries. Use the larger range of sugar when substituting key lime or lemon juice.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup fresh orange juice, about 3 large oranges
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1-1 1/3 cups granulated sugar* (or 1/3 cup honey)
• 3 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
• 1/4 cup salted butter, melted
• 2 pint sized canning jars with lids & rings
• -or- 1.75 quart (7cup) oven safe dish, with aluminum foil to cover
• 2 cups water, under the trivet

Instructions

1. Roll the oranges on a flat surface to release more juice.2. Using a zester or fine grater, grate the orange skin, being careful not to remove the bitter, white pith.3. Set a fine mesh strainer over a bowl or 2 cup measuring cup, to catch the pulp and seeds.4. Cut the oranges in half, and using a citrus reamer, juice the oranges over the strainer.5. Using the back of a spoon, push the juice from the pulp through the strainer.6. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and yolks, till smooth. Add melted butter, sugar & orange peel; stir well. 7. Pour the curd into an oven safe bowl, or into 2 pint sized canning jars, making sure they are not more than half full.8. Cover the oven safe bowl with aluminum foil or place lids on jars, with the rings "finger tip tight."9. Put 2 cups water in the pressure cooker. Place trivet or wire rack in cooker.10. Put covered jars of curd on the trivet. If using a bowl, create a folded foil sling, 18" long and set that on the trivet, then place the covered bowl on the trivet.11. Close the lid and pressure valve.12. Select HIGH pressure, and cook time for 9 minutes.13. When cook time ends, use a 10 minute natural pressure release. 14. After 10 minutes, open the pressure valve and release any remaining pressure.15. Using hot pads or the foil sling, remove the jars/bowl of curd and place on a wire cooling rack.16. Using hot pads, carefully open the jars or remove the aluminum foil.17. Stir the curd well. Place foil/lids/rings back on and allow to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.18. If you wish, you can push the hot curd through a fine mesh strainer to create a smooth textured curd.Place cooled curd in the fridge to set to at least 4-6 hours. Curd will keep well in the fridge for up to one month. You can freeze your curd in freezer safe containers for up to one year.

Details

Prep time: 10 hour Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 6 hour 20 mins Yield: 2 cups

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Orange Curd - Stove Top

by Frieda Franchina April-13-2017

A decadent fruit based custard that is perfect stirred into yogurt, spread onto toast, waffles, used a cake fillings or in tarts or pastries. Use the larger range of sugar when substituting key lime or lemon juice.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup fresh orange juice, about 3 large oranges
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1-1 1/3 cups granulated sugar (can use 1/3 cup honey)
• 3 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
• 1/4 cup salted butter, cold, cut into tablespoon slices
• 2 pint sized canning jars with lids & rings

Instructions

1. Roll the oranges on a flat surface to release more juice.2. Using a zester or fine grater, grate the orange skin, being careful not to remove the bitter, white pith.3. Set a fine mesh strainer over a bowl or 2 cup measuring cup, to catch the pulp and seeds.4. Cut the oranges in half, and using a citrus reamer, juice the oranges over the strainer.5. Using the back of a spoon, push the juice from the pulp through the strainer.6. In a saucepan, whisk the eggs and egg yolks with the sugar.7. Add zest, orange juice to the sugar mixture and whisk till combined well.8. Set saucepan over medium heat, cooking slowly till the curd is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, stirring constantly. 9. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in your cold butter, one tablespoon at a time, till you end up with a thick and smooth curd.10. Leave the curd to cool at room temperature in the pot, pour into clean jars and store in the fridge for up to one month. Can put cooled curd in freezer safe containers and store for up to one year.

Details

Prep time: 10 hour Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 6 hour 20 mins Yield: 2 cups