Basic Brown Soda Bread
Couldn’t be simpler, just mix and pour into a well-greased tin. This bread keeps very well for several days and is also great toasted and of course freezes perfectly.
SERVES
6
PEOPLE
Ingredients
400g stone ground wholemeal flour
75g white flour, preferably unbleached
1 tsp salt
1 level tsp bread soda, sieved (bicarbonate of soda/baking soda)
1 egg, preferably free range
1 tbsp olive oil, unscented
1 tsp honey or treacle
425ml buttermilk or sour milk approx.
sunflower or sesame seeds (optional)
Equipment
Loaf tin 23 x 12.5 x 5cm OR 3 small loaf tins 14.6cm x 7.62cm
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.
Put all the dry ingredients, including the sieved bread soda, into a large bowl, mix well.
Whisk the egg, add the oil, honey and buttermilk.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in all the liquid, mix well and add more buttermilk if necessary. The mixture should be soft and slightly sloppy, pour into an oiled tin or tins – using a butter knife, draw a slit down the middle. Sprinkle some sunflower or sesame seeds on the top.
Bake for 60 minutes approximately (45-50 minutes for small loaf tins), or until the bread is nice and crusty and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.
Super Seed Bread
Add 1 tbsp of sunflower seeds, 1 tbsp of sesame seeds, 1 tbsp of pumpkin seeds, 1 tbsp of kibbled wheat to the dry ingredients. Keep a mixture to scatter over the top.
Note: The quantity of buttermilk can vary depending on thickness. Add 1-2 tbsp of cream to low-fat buttermilk (optional).
