Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread

Having just returned from a buying trip to Ireland, I am missing my soda bread. This recipe is for a wholemeal soda bread and is easy to make, with no kneading or proving! From mixing bowl to table in under 40 minutes!

As a crusty bread it is perfect with soups and salads and winter stews, delicious with cold meats and cheeses  and can be toasted the next day for breakfast

There is no yeast in the recipe but it is best made with buttermilk and bicarbonate of soda. It is much easier to get hold of buttermilk now but if you can’t you can substitute with 200 ml milk with one tablespoon of lemon juice or cider vinegar or white wine vinegar, or with half plain yoghurt and half milk

Recipe:

350 g wholemeal flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

285 ml buttermilk

Method:

Preheat the oven to 220 C/gas mark 7/ 425 F

Dust a baking tray with a little plain flour

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Tip in the buttermilk and combine

Stir until all the ingredients come together as a dough, shape into a ball

Place the dough ball on your baking tray and cut a good, deep cross into the centre. This is important as this will help the centre of the bread cook properly

Dust the loaf with a little flour and place in your preheated oven for 30 minutes

Candida Hopkinson