Irish soda bread

Soda bread is a very easy thing to make compared to most bread, as you do not have to worry about yeast to much. All you have to do is not get your dough to wet or to dry. That can be easier said than done as it all depends on your flour but my advice is follow this recipe and  then add a little more liquid if you think you need to .

The ingredients you will need are

170g/6oz self-raising wholemeal flour

170g/6oz plain flour

½ tsp salt

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

290ml/½ pint buttermilk

A dash of milk if needed

Sift the fours and the bicarbonate of soda altogether in to one bowl. Make sure that you get a nice even mix then make a well in the middle of the flour.

Pour the buttermilk in to the well and using a fork or your mixer, work the liquid quickly in the flour forming a nice firm dough. The dough needs to be soft but not wet and sticky, if it is to stiff then add some more milk and work that in.

Once you have formed your dough turn it out on to a floured surface and kneed it for a little while. You do not need to work it to much as it is not like regular bread just a little. Then form it in to a round flat ball and cut a cross in the top. Now place it on a lightly floured backing sheet.

You need you oven preheated and set at 400f/200c. It will take about 30 minutes to back the bread and when it is cooked, it should have a nice hollow sound when you tap it on the bottom. Then just let it cool on a rack until you are ready to eat it.