Kilt’s Kitchen: Bread Edition

Bread is one of the most universally loved foods, with its comforting aroma and delicious taste. There’s something truly special about baking your own bread from scratch – the satisfaction of kneading the dough, watching it rise, and finally pulling a freshly baked loaf out of the oven. Whether you’re an experienced baker or a beginner, making homemade bread is a rewarding experience that anyone can enjoy. In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps to make a delicious loaf of bread from scratch. So put on your apron, roll up your sleeves, and let’s get baking!

Banana chocolate chip bread

Ingredients:

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
• ¼ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Hershey’s (see note)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup mashed overripe bananas, from 2-3 brown bananas
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F (177° C). Spray non-stick cooking spray on a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan.
2. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Blend the cocoa powder until it is well combined and no more lumps remain. Set aside for later.
3. To make the butter and sugar light and fluffy, beat them together for two to three minutes in a large bowl or with an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. One at a time, add the eggs and incorporate well after each addition. Beat the dry ingredients gently until just combined. Incorporate the bananas, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix on low speed to combine without overmixing. Add the chocolate chips and fold them in. 
4. With a spatula, evenly spread the batter in the prepared loaf pan. After 1 hour and 10 minutes, insert a toothpick into the center and remove a few moist crumbs. After the loaf has rested in the pan for about 10 minutes, loosen it with a blunt knife. After it has cooled completely, turn it out onto a rack.

Chocolate Chip Soda Bread

In recognition of St Patrick’s day, I tried making soda bread, an Irish dish. Initially, when I made this, I wasn’t expecting it to be that good, but I was pleasantly surprised. You can substitute the chocolate chips for raisins if you want a more traditional soda bread.

Ingredients:

• 3 to 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425° F (218° C). 
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and chocolate chips. Add in your buttermilk and raisins (if using) and stir until it just comes together.
3. Turn out onto the lightly floured surface and knead until it forms a smooth ball. Gradually add more flour as necessary to achieve a dough that is firm and not sticky. Dust the outside with flour and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to slash a 1-inch deep cross on top of the loaf. 
4. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Gluten-free Cheesy Garlic Bread 

If you have a sensitivity to gluten, here is a recipe for you.

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf of gluten-free bread of choice (I used sourdough)
• 3 shallots
• 2 garlic bulbs
• ½ cup butter softened
• 1 tbsp miso paste
• 1/2 tbsp chili flakes
• Cheese of choice (I used a mixture of mozzarella and parmesan)
• Parsley chopped
• 1-2 tbsp honey

Directions:

1. Chop the tops off of the garlic bulbs and shallots. Drizzle generously with olive oil, salt, and pepper, after placing them on a sheet of foil. Fold the foil over the garlic and shallots and bake at 350F (180C) for 1 hour – 1 hour 15 minutes; Until golden and caramelized. Allow cooling before moving on to the next step.
2. Squeeze out the garlic and shallots in a bowl. Stir butter, miso, chili flakes, salt, and pepper into the mixture until well combined.
3. Slice your bread in half lengthwise. Spread the mixture generously over the bread
   *you can also cut slits in the bread to allow the butter to absorb better
   Place on a grill/broiler and cook at 350F (180C) for 15-20 minutes (keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn).
4. Sprinkle parsley and honey on top once the bread is golden and crunchy. Cut into slices and serve.