Irish Soda Bread with Pistachio Vanilla Butter

March 14, 2011

This pistachio vanilla butter makes a quick and easy spread for a favorite St. Patrick’s Day staple, Irish Soda Bread!

I’m finally back in the kitchen! After travel with family to Hilton Head Island last week and then a trip to Charleston, SC for work I’m settling back into shopping and meal planning this week. I’ll recap the food portion of my trip later, but right now I’m happy to say I made it back to the kitchen just in time for St. Paddy’s Day.

Last year, I let the holiday slip by without a celebratory food in sight. I must admit I didn’t go over the top this year with a full meal, but I guess I do still have a few days left.

Pistachio Vanilla Butter for Irish Soda Bread | Fake Food Free | An easy spread for a St. Patrick's Day staple.

While Irish Soda Bread may be the St. Patrick’s go-to for many, this is the very first time I have baked it. To add to the Irish flavor, I made sure I got the recipe from one of my favorite Irish chefs, Rachel Allen. We are headed to Ireland this summer and I already have space and weight set aside to stock up on several of her cookbooks.

So I tried my hand at her Irish Soda Bread and it was a hit! Crusty and chewy on the outside and soft on the inside. I guess it would be difficult to mess up so few ingredients, but given my baking history I can never be too sure. I used unbleached all-purpose flour for this one and substituted Demerara sugar. I also added some raisins for color and sweetness.

Pistachio Vanilla Butter for Irish Soda Bread | Fake Food Free | An easy spread for a St. Patrick's Day staple.

Once I had the bread, I felt the need to spread on something green. Pistachios were the first thing that came to mind. I chopped them up, added them to some butter and added just a drizzle of pure vanilla. The nutty vanilla flavor goes so well with the slightly sweet raisins in the bread. Not to mention, the finished product is flecked with festive pieces of green.

The White Soda Bread recipe can be found on Rachel Allen’s website. The quick and easy butter is below.

Pistachio Vanilla Butter

Makes: 1/4 cup

Ingredients

 

½ stick unsalted butter
25 to 30 shelled, salted pistachios, finely chopped
1/8 tsp pure vanilla extract.

Prep

Place all the ingredients in a small food processor and pulse until the butter is softened and everything is combined. If you’d like the butter slightly sweet you can add a teaspoon of honey or confectioner’s sugar to the butter before mixing.

Pistachio Vanilla Butter for Irish Soda Bread | Fake Food Free | An easy spread for a St. Patrick's Day staple.

This post has been submitted to the St. Paddy’s Day Food Parade at The Daily Spud.
 

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  • Daily Spud March 15, 2011 at 2:11 am

    When it comes to baking, Rachel Allen knows her stuff! I adore soda bread (of course :)) and love the idea of the vanilla pistachio butter to go with it. Great addition to the Paddy’s Day Food Parade, Lori!

  • lesley lifting life March 15, 2011 at 6:43 am

    I’ve never made soda bread either, and yours looks great. I just might have to make some myself!

  • The Food Hunter March 15, 2011 at 9:50 am

    That butter sounds amazing. I’m going to try that the next time I make breakfast bread.

  • ahealthypassion.com March 15, 2011 at 3:06 pm

    Hilton Head is one of my favorite places on earth and I hope to move to Charleston some day, im jealous of your trip. The bread looks amazing especially with the pistacio butter yum!

  • Juliana March 15, 2011 at 3:25 pm

    Lori , your Irish soda bread looks yummie…can you believe that I never had it? What really makes is nicer is your spread…looks delicious. Have a great week!

  • 5 Star Foodie March 15, 2011 at 3:33 pm

    Your Irish soda bread looks incredible, perfectly crusty! And I absolutely love the sound of vanilla pistachio butter, so yummy!

  • Vivienne March 15, 2011 at 4:38 pm

    yours turned out great even though it’s your first time making it! i don’t think i’ve ever had it before…actually i’m not all that familiar with irish food! hehe. you must be looking forward to your trip and sample all the authentic flavours over there!

  • gastroanthropologist March 16, 2011 at 5:37 am

    I love Irish Soda Bread (and its so easy to make!). Pistachio Vanilla Butter sounds so tasty! I’m posting on an ice cream called brown bread ice cream that I uses Irish Soda Bread crumbs later today -come check it out when you get a chance =).

  • Michelle @ Find Your Balance March 16, 2011 at 10:28 am

    Good idea with the butter!

  • kat March 16, 2011 at 1:57 pm

    Your loaf looks absolutely beautiful!

  • Tangled Noodle March 18, 2011 at 6:45 am

    Now that’s a loaf of Irish Soda Bread! I’d be hard-pressed not to polish it off immediately out of the oven, especially if it’s slathered with copious amounts of Pistachio Vanilla Butter.

    I would love to go back for another visit to Ireland – it is a truly beautiful land! This is a great way to get in an Irish frame of mind before your trip…! 😎

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