Soda bread
A rustic Irish loaf raised with bicarbonate of soda and buttermilk instead of yeast, mixed in minutes and baked with a deep cross on top.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 230°C and dust a baking tray with flour.
- 2
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl, lifting the sieve high to add air.
- 3
Make a well in the centre and pour in most of the buttermilk.
- 4
Stir with one hand held like a claw, moving in circles from the centre outwards, until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough.
- 5
Add the remaining buttermilk if the dough feels dry or there is loose flour in the bowl.
- 6
Turn onto a floured surface and shape very lightly into a round about 4 cm high, handling it as little as possible.
- 7
Set on the tray and cut a deep cross into the top with a floured knife, going about halfway through the loaf.
- 8
Bake until risen and starting to brown.
- 9
Turn the oven down to 200°C and bake until deep golden and the base sounds hollow when tapped.
- 10
Cool on a wire rack. Wrap the loaf in a clean tea towel while it cools if you prefer a softer crust.
Notes
- Work quickly once the buttermilk goes in, since the bicarbonate starts producing gas straight away. Get the loaf into the oven within a few minutes.
- No buttermilk? Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into 400 ml of whole milk and leave it for 10 minutes to thicken.
- Soda bread is best on the day it is baked and makes very good toast on the second day. Swap up to half the flour for wholemeal for a brown loaf.
Equipment
Large mixing bowl, Sieve, Baking tray, Sharp knife, Wire rack, Clean tea towel