I'm looking for a fast bread recipe... I love the Jim Lahey's recipe, but I'm impatient. Any suggestions?

Then you’re looking for biscuits. Throw some Busquick in a bowl, along with some milk or water.

sadly you can’t rush the rising process…if you have a stand mixer it’s super easy and you can let it rise right in the mix bowl. Sadly it will still take 1½–2hours.

homemade beer bread
no rising time – this is so easy it’s crazy.

3 cups flour (you can use half whole-wheat, if you prefer)
4½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ tsp salt
3 heaping tablespoons sugar
1 12 oz beer (cheap beer works well – like Tecate)

preheat over to 375

in a bowl combine flour, sugar, and beer. stir until
smooth and bubble free.

pour batter into greased 9×5 pan
bake 1 hour at 375. When you stick a knife or fork in and it comes out clean, it’s done.

I find that this is even better if you add chopped fresh rosemary to
the dough before baking (fresh is key) ! other variations are chopped fresh dill, or chopped fresh basil and garlic. I think the rosemary or dill beer-bread works best…it’s much better with the fresh herbs.

I have found that light cheap beer like tecate or corona actually tastes better with this recipe than the more expensive or darker beers.

This is absolutely delicious fresh out of the oven with some butter on top- yum!

I love the Irish Soda Bread recipe in “The Joy of Cooking”. I like to make it for breakfast on lazy Sundays.

IRISH SODA BREAD

One 8-inch round loaf

When this batter is made with the greater amount of sugar and baked in a loaf pan, it becomes a fine crusty tea bread that stays moist for 3 to 4 days. To make a tea loaf, use ⅓ sugar and 1 cup buttermilk.

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 F, 350 F if you are baking in the loaf pan. Grease a large baking sheet or an 8½×4½-inch (6-cup) loaf pan.

Whisk together thoroughly in a large bowl:

1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Stir in:

1 cup raisins
2 teaspoons caraway seeds

Whisk together in another bowl:

1 large egg
⅔ cup buttermilk, or 1 cup for the tea loaf
4 tablespoons (½ stick) warm melted unsalted butter

Add to the flour mixture and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. The batter will be stiff but sticky. Scrape the batter onto the baking sheet in a mound 6 to 7 inches in diameter or scrape it into the loaf pan and spread evenly. Use a sharp knife to slash a large X about ½ inch deep on top of the batter. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes on the baking sheet, 45 to 50 minutes in the loaf pan. Transfer the bread to a rack to cool completely before serving. Or, if using a loaf pan, let cool in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely on the rack.

I also made this Irish Soda Bread recipe lately from Smitten Kitchen and it was really good.

Soda bread is the one I recommend, but drop biscuits or tortillas are quicker.

@yarnlady, what can be substituted for shortening in that recipe for drop biscuits? Do you happen to know how much butter? Thanks!

@occ You can use an equal amount of butter instead, but the texture will be flakey instead of solid.