This cookbook is only 96 pages and offers recipes that are contributed and inspired by a long list of the author's family members in Ireland. There are plenty recipes to choose from and the nine chapters bring a taste of the emerald isle into your home. This cookbook may be small however it gives a no fuss, straightforward, here are the recipes approach; which makes finding a recipe very efficient.
If you do celebrate or if you do not celebrate St. Patrick's Day this bread recipe will add something a little different to your breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Mercedes' Guinness Bread (an adaption of the popular beer bread)
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2 packages od dry yeast
1/2 cup of warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 bottle of Guinness stout (6.3 oz)
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cups unsifted white flour
1 teaspoon ginger
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Preheat oven to 375º
Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water and 1 tablespoon of sugar; set aside for 5 minutes.
Heat stout, honey and margarine until warm. Add stout mix to the dissolved yeast and stir into 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in the remaining flour, ginger and caraway seeds to make a soft dough.
Shape into a ball. Knead on a floured board until smooth, about 3 minutes. Form into a round loaf and with floured knife make a cross through centre of the bread. Place in a greased 8 inch round cake tin. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. Bake at 375º for 30 minutes or until done. Remove from pan and brush with butter. Cool on rack.