As you may be aware we are moving soon, packing is well underway and we are at that stage where we are beginning to use up bits and pieces from the fridge and cupboards. Today Hubby fancied using up the bacon left over in the fridge and eggs, but was most unhappy to find that there was no bread!
Now I have many recipes for many types of bread on the blog, but I think all of them require yeast and hours of proving, we required something that was nearly instant but still yummy…. call in the soda bread !!!!
Soda bread is so simple to make, with a few simple ingredients you can have bread in no time, it is very similar to a large scone and is slightly denser due to the lack of yeast and no proving, but this recipe with the wholemeal and rye flours is so full of flavour, goodness and just so delicious and of course, very quick.
This recipe has black pepper in and brings a really lovely flavour to the bread, but this makes it only suitable for savoury use, if however you fancy your soda bread slathered with lashings of honey or jam, just leave the black pepper out.
Hubby enjoyed his like this…
And I enjoyed mine like his…
However you enjoy yours I can highly recommend this delicious bread and I know that this will become a family favourite and will be baked time and time again for those days when I am rushing in to cook dinner and just do not have the time to bake a bread that requires proving.
Buon appetito
45g/1¾oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing and to serve
340g/12oz wholemeal flour
340g/12oz strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp cracked black peppercorns
625ml/1 pint 1fl oz buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5.
For the soda bread, grease a baking tray with a little butter.
Place both of the flours, the butter, bicarbonate of soda, salt and peppercorns into a large mixing bowl. Gradually stir in the buttermilk, using your hands to bring the mixture together to form a soft dough.
Shape the dough into a rough loaf and transfer to the prepared baking tray.
Dust the top with strong white bread flour.
Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until golden-brown all over and cooked through.
The soda bread is cooked when it sounds hollow when tapped firmly on the base Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and set aside to cool completely.
Note : The recipe says set aside to cool, but if like me you are completely impatient and just love bread warm from the oven with butter dripping off of it, just go for it 😉 Also I am thinking of trying different versions, you could add nuts, seeds, cheese, chives, bacon, as I always say, ‘play around with the recipe and make it your own’.
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