Edward says; This bread is a really nice recipe for traditional white soda bread. It stays fresh for 3-4 days in your bread bin but also freezes quite successfully. You can change the flavour around to best suit yourself.
Ingredients:
- 1lb/450g plain white flour
- 1 level teaspoon of bread soda
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 350ml buttermilk
Method:
Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas Mark 3
Grease a 2lb loaf tin.
Sieve the plain flour into a large mixing bowl.
Sieve in the bread soda-it is vitally important that the bread soda be sieved as it tends to clump together.
Add in the salt at this stage also.
Mix well.
If you are using a flavouring add it in now.
Pour in the buttermilk and mix until a soft “sticky” dough has been achieved.
Transfer the dough onto a well floured work surface and kneed for a moment or two until the dough has been manipulated into a cylindrical shape.
Press into the previously prepared oaf tin and pop into the oven to bake.
Bake for 1 full hour in the tin and then invert the bread and pop it back into the tin upside down and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes to firm up the crust on the underneath.
Additional Flavours: suggested amounts:
- Garlic & Rosemary 2 cloves garlic, 2 sprigs of rosemary
- Sultanas soaked in orange juice 3oz/75g
- Roasted Vegetables 1 ½ mixed peppers, ½ red onion, ½ courgette
- Sage & Onion 1 small onion cooked, 1 dessertspoon fresh sage
- Grated Mozzarella 3oz/75g
- Bacon & Thyme 5-6 rashers of bacon-lighted grilled, 2 stems thyme
- Cheddar Cheese & Rocket 2oz/50g cheese, 2 dessertspoons chopped rocket
- Sun Dried tomato & Chorizo 3oz/75g sun dried tomatoes, 2oz/50g diced chorizo
- Curry, Apricot & Red Chilli 2 dessertspoons medium hot curry powder, 8 Apricots & 1 teaspoon chilli flake.
Enjoy!
