AuthorCarol RidehalghCategoryBack Up BasicsDifficultyBeginnerI was pleased to be reminded by my husband recently that I used to make soda bread. I got the hint, so I searched for and found four of my old recipe cards, stapled together. I have worked through them to create this recipe, which I am very happy with. It slices well and has a lovely texture. Delicious fresh with butter, I have also been enjoying it toasted for breakfast. Furthermore, it can be made completely organic with organic flours, milk and lemon juice.
First, weigh the milk into a jug, add the lemon juice and stir in. Leave to stand for 15 minutes or more until the milk has soured and become thicker.
Preheat the oven to very hot, 230°C / 215°C Fan / Gas 8 / 450 °F.
Prepare a flat baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
The bread can easily be made by hand or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Weigh both the flours into a large bowl, add the wheat germ, a heaped teaspoon of sea salt and a level teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. Mix to incorporate.
Reserve about 1/4 of the soured milk, add the rest and mix quickly to a soft dough — using some of the reserved milk if necessary to bring all the flour together.
Dust a clean work surface with flour and tip the dough onto this. If very sticky, shake a little flour over the dough and use your hands to form it into a circular shape. Shake a little flour over a sharp knife and mark a cross on the bread approx 1 cm deep. Shake over a little white flour and pop into the oven. Set the timer for 30 minutes.
When the timer goes turn the oven down to hot, 200°C / 185°C Fan / Gas 6 / 400°F.
Set the timer for a further 10 minutes.
Remove the bread from the oven and leave to cool.
Soda bread keeps well a couple of days. It also freezes well either whole or portioned.
Whilst the oven is on it is worth considering doubling the quantity and making 2 soda bread.
Ingredients
Directions
First, weigh the milk into a jug, add the lemon juice and stir in. Leave to stand for 15 minutes or more until the milk has soured and become thicker.
Preheat the oven to very hot, 230°C / 215°C Fan / Gas 8 / 450 °F.
Prepare a flat baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
The bread can easily be made by hand or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Weigh both the flours into a large bowl, add the wheat germ, a heaped teaspoon of sea salt and a level teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. Mix to incorporate.
Reserve about 1/4 of the soured milk, add the rest and mix quickly to a soft dough — using some of the reserved milk if necessary to bring all the flour together.
Dust a clean work surface with flour and tip the dough onto this. If very sticky, shake a little flour over the dough and use your hands to form it into a circular shape. Shake a little flour over a sharp knife and mark a cross on the bread approx 1 cm deep. Shake over a little white flour and pop into the oven. Set the timer for 30 minutes.
When the timer goes turn the oven down to hot, 200°C / 185°C Fan / Gas 6 / 400°F.
Set the timer for a further 10 minutes.
Remove the bread from the oven and leave to cool.
Soda bread keeps well a couple of days. It also freezes well either whole or portioned.
Whilst the oven is on it is worth considering doubling the quantity and making 2 soda bread.