Soda bread - easy!

If you’ve never made your own bread before, making soda bread is a good way to start. It’s very simple and will give you the confidence to try other bread recipes. This one doesn’t involve yeast so there’s no waiting around for the dough to rise and you only need to knead the bread for 2 minutes maximum.

Ingredients:

• 170g/6oz self-raising wholemeal flour
• 170g/6oz plain flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 290ml/½ pint buttermilk

     

    Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F/200C/Gas 6.
   
   
2. Tip the flours, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl and stir.
   
   
3. Make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk, mixing quickly with a large fork to form a soft dough. (Depending upon the absorbency of the flour, you may need to add a little milk if the dough seems too stiff but it should not be too wet or sticky.)
   
   
4. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly.
   
   
5. Form into a round and flatten the dough slightly before placing on a lightly floured baking sheet.
   
   
6. Cut a cross on the top and bake for about 30 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.
   
   Have a go and let us know how it turns out!
    

 

  
Carla