Soda Bread

One of my favourite breads since a child, with an Irish Granny, this was definitely always on the menu. I love the simplicity of it, the speed of it, the yumminess of it, and the fact if it stays around a day, not often in my house, it gets better!

Note if you don’t have any buttermilk, a quick way to make some - is one full cup of full fat milk to one tablespoon of lemon juice. You can replace the butter with honey, and that will keep the bread moist for longer and you can add some rosemary for a more savoury feel.

One Loaf

500g Wholemeal Spelt Flour

100g Porridge Oats

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp flaked salt

25g butter, softened

500ml buttermilk

Heat the oven to 200 degrees, 180 fan, gas mark 6. Dust a baking sheet with a sprinkle of flour. Mix all the dry ingredients together and rub in the butter (or add the honey). Pour in the buttermilk keeping some back to make sure you don’t get too wet a dough, add as you need too…( this all depends on the flour used as to how much it will take). With a knife bring the dough together and then handle very gently to knead to a not too wet flat round loaf

Put the loaf on the baking sheet and cut a deep cross in the top of it. As my granny told me, this is to let the fairies out!!! Bake for 30-35 minutes. Check to see if done by tapping the bottom, it should be hollow.

Find the most delicious butter you can and try not to be too greedy! enjoy xxx