(recipe adapted from epicurious)
Irish Soda Bread Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup Kerrygold Dubliner cheese
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
To make soda bread:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cheese, and herbs in a large bowl. Add buttermilk and butter. Stir just until dough is evenly moistened but still lumpy.
Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface and turn dough to coat with flour. Gently knead with floured hands about 8 times to form a soft but slightly less sticky dough.
Form into a loaf, appx. 6-inch round and put on an ungreased baking sheet. Cut a 1/2-inch-deep "X" across top of the loaf with a sharp knife. Dust 1 tablespoon of additional flour over the loaf.
Bake in middle of oven until golden brown and bottom sounds hollow when tapped, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer loaf to a rack and cool completely.
Bread Pudding Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup grated Kerrygold Skellig sweet cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Kerrygold Dubliner cheese
4 large eggs
2 1/2 cups whole milk
Loaf of Irish Soda Bread
To make bread pudding:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter ramekins or baking dish.
Cut enough bread into 1-inch cubes to measure 3 3/4 cups. Divide bread among ramekins (or spread in larger baking dish).
Whisk together eggs, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir in cheese and spoon over bread in ramekins or baking dish. Let stand 10 minutes.
Put ramekins or baking dish in a larger baking pan and add enough hot water to come halfway up sides of ramekins or dish.
Bake until just set and a knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
Transfer ramekins or dish from hot water bath to a rack and cool 10 minutes before serving.
