In honor of the Isle of Emerald and all who hail from it (including those who do just for today), I share a bounty of quick bread recipes. One I posted last year, Bubbe’s Irish Soda Bread with Sour Cream, the other two I had intended to feature one of my favorite quaffs from the land of snake-chasing saints and mischievous wee folk – Guinness. However, when faced with the quandary of using Guinness in baking, rather than using Guinness as the gods intended, I decided to go with a lovely chocolate stout in my baking instead. Rest assured the Guinness did not go to waste, and was well represented in my glass as I baked Chocolate Stout Soda Bread with Dried Cherries, and Chocolate Stout Beer Bread. 

Now let’s all lift a glass of Guinness, or Bushmills or such, and send out a toast…

May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks.

May your heart be as light as a song.

May each day bring you bright, happy hours

That stay with you all the year long.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

©cookinginmyheels.com

Chocolate Stout Soda Bread with Dried Cherries

Makes one loaf

This is nice with just some butter or jam

• 2 cups flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 3 TBSP sour cream (lite or regular, not non-fat)
• 1 cup Guinness, chocolate stout or your favorite stout beer (I used chocolate stout from Trader Joe’s and it works nicely – why waste a good Guinness?)
• ¾ cup dried cherries
• 1 TBSP melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush a 9-inch cake pan with some of the melted butter.

Sift the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Take a ¼ cup of the dry mixture and toss with the dried cherries (this will keep the cherries from sinking to the bottom of the batter when added.)

In a smaller bowl, beat the egg with the sour cream and sugar until well mixed. Add the stout and mix together until incorporated. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, mix just until there are no dry spots (don’t over-mix), then fold in the dried cherries. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and even out. Brush the top of the bread with the remaining melted butter. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove from pan and cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Cut into 8-12 wedges, slather with butter, and enjoy! Total calories, 1850, or 155-230 per wedge.

Chocolate Stout Beer Bread

Makes one loaf

I love this with some goat cheese or a nice sharp cheddar

• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 12 oz. chocolate stout (or other stout beer)
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 2 TBSP sour cream (lite or regular, not non-fat)
• 4 TBSP brown sugar
• Zest of a large orange
• 1 TBSP butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush an 8-inch loaf pan well with some of the melted butter.

Sift the flour, baking soda, cocoa and salt into a large bowl. Wisk in the orange zest. In a medium bowl, beat the egg, sour cream and sugar together, then add the beer and mix.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until no flour is visible – don’t over mix. Pour into prepared loaf pan and brush top with remaining melted butter. Bake 45-55 minutes, or until tester inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool on rack 10 minutes. Calories: 1900 total, or about 160 calories per slice (12 slices).

Filed under: baking, quick bread, Recipes Tagged: epicurious, Holidays, Recipes, St. Patrick's Day

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