It’s been a long, long time since I featured a recipe in one of our blogs, but I just had to share this one. It was the first time that I’d made an Irish soda bread loaf and couldn’t believe how quick & easy it was!
Ingredients
- 225g/8oz/2 cups unbleached plain (all purpose flour)
- 225g/8oz/2 cups wholemeal (wholewheat) flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1tsp salt
- 2tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 2tsp cream of tartar
- 40g/1½oz/3tbsp butter or lard (shortening)
- 1tsp caster (superfine) sugar
- 350-375ml/12-13fl oz/1½-1? cups buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 190ºC/375ºF/Gas mark 5. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Sift the flour & salt into a large bowl
- Add the Bicarbonate of soda & cream of tartar, then rub in the butter or lard. Stir in the sugar
- Pour in sufficient buttermilk to mix to a soft dough. Do not over-mix or the bread will be heavy & tough. Shape into a round on a lightly floured surface
- Place on the prepared baking sheet and mark a cross using a sharp knife, cutting deep into the dough
- Dust lightly with wholemeal flour and bake for 35-45 minutes or until well risen and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Serve warm
THAT’S IT!
I had a slice straight out of the oven, slathered with butter with a fried egg sprinkled with salt & cracked black pepper – delicious!
The recipe above is from Bread by Christine Ingram & Jennie Shapter
Tags: baking, bread, breadmaking, Christine Ingram, cooking, Irish soda bread, Jennie Shapter, recipe, soda bread
