White Soda Bread
What a joy fresh warm Soda bread is served up alongside your morning eggs, with soup or just covered in butter and jam!
It only takes a few minutes to make and although I just love it plain, you can add olives, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, herbs, cheese, the list goes on!
Today we’ll just do the basic soda bread.
Ok so you will need a big size baking bowl to be able to get your hands in to mix the ingredients.
Preheat your oven to 230℃/450℉/Gar mark 8
Ingredients
450g plain white flour
1 level teaspoon of salt
1 level teaspoon bread soda
400ml buttermilk (Try getting a good quality one, it makes a difference!)
*Important: The amount of bread soda really does make a difference so please ensure it is one level teaspoon, too much can change the taste of the bread!
Method
Sieve all your dry ingredients into the bowl.
Add in most of the buttermilk, hold the bowl with one hand and use the other hand like a claw bringing the ingredients together from the outside in to the centre in circular motions without overworking it. If it’s still too dry, add the remainder of the buttermilk. The dough does not need to be smooth but should be softish and not too wet or sticky.
Once it’s all come together, take the remaining dough on your fingers into the bowl then turn it out onto a floured surface.
Wash and dry your hands completely!
Tidy it up and flip over gently. Shape it into a round 1.5-2 inch deep and put onto a floured baking tray.
Get a knife and cut a cross on it ensuring you do the lengths of the vut over the side of the bread, we call this letting the fairies out!
That’s it! Into the oven at that temp for 15 minutes and then turn down to 200℃/400℉/Gas mark 6 for 30 min.
After 30 min take out,it should be a lovely golden brown, tap the bottom, it should sound hollow. If not, put it back in the oven upside down for 5 min!
Rest for 15/30 min on a wire rack then cut and enjoy!
