Light Brown Soda Bread
Sometimes when there are just not enough hours in the day to make ‘proper’ bread but you yearn for that ‘home baked’ flavour, instead of running to the shops why not throw together a quick soda bread bake. They never quite replace a yeast driven loaf but if eaten fresh the day baked, I promise you will be hooked.
This recipe screams for wholemeal flour, and I in particular love to use wholemeal spelt flour. It is possible to keep the recipe to 100% wholemeal, however, for a lighter loaf, not a problem to add white flour, and for this I recommend a quality white spelt flour.
As with all soda breads, best to eat immediately after baking, laden thickly with butter and topped with a homemade jam, or as in the picture homemade fig jam – just delicious. Very suitable also alongside soups and savouries.
For a heavier, wholemeal Soda bread loaf check out the following: Rustic Soda Bread
Ingredients
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175g wholemeal flour- spelt or any favourite wholemeal flour
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175g white flour- spelt or organic bread flour
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25g butter
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3 flat tsp baking soda
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300ml butter milk
Instructions
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01 Pre-heat the oven. Needs to be HOT HOT when you place the bread inside.
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Make the soda dough:
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02 Sift all flours and baking soda together into a large bowl mixing bowl, adding the bran left in the sieve! Rub in the butter and when well mixed make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk.
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03 Quickly mix together with a wooden spoon and tip gently onto a lightly floured work surface.
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04 With light, well floured fingertips shape the dough into an oval and lift onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.
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05 Finally dip the handle of a wooden spoon into flour and use to indent a cross shape over the top of the soda bread. Pressing down fairly firmly, so as to leave a definite mark/indentation.
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06 Place in the hot oven and bake for 30 minutes or until well cooked.
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07 Remove from the oven and cool on a wrack.
Notes
Very simple to make and best if you do NOT overwork the dough once the buttermilk is added. If buttermilk cannot be found, try 300ml whole milk with 1 tbsp of lemon juice. At its most delicious when eaten fresh the day its baked, as this type of bread does not keep too long, and if you do have any left after day one, I recommend you toast it.
