Soda bread

To go with the easiest soup in the world, here's the easiest bread in the world. It contains no yeast and so doesn't require proving and there's no kneading. Instead, bicarbonate of soda is used as the leavening agent, hence the name 'soda bread'.

I based my soda bread on the Delia Smith recipe which can be found in Delia's How to Cook Book 1. I haven't been able to find her recipe online so have outlined the differences between mine and Delia's versions here. My variations were based entirely on what ingredients I had in the kitchen. The resulting loaf made a pretty amazing accompaniment to leek and potato soup.

Soda bread* ingredients

*Delia calls hers Irish soda bread. 

• 175g wholemeal flour (not wholemeal bread flour) plus extra for dusting
• 50g plain flour
• 50g medium oatmeal (Delia uses pinhead oatmeal)
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 large egg
• 275ml buttermilk or yoghurt - Delia specifies buttermilk since but I only had about 50ml I topped it up to the full amount with yoghurt.

Delia includes 25g wheatgerm in her recipe. I don't. Apparently it's very good for you. 

How to make soda bread

1. Butter a 450g loaf tin.
2. Heat the oven to the Magic Cooking Number, 190C.
3. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
4. Add the egg to the buttermilk/yoghurt and beat together.
5. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix together to form a stiff dough.
6. Put the dough into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
7. Sprinkle with a little additional flour.
8. Bake for 50-60 minutes. 

Alternative soda bread recipe

Alternative soda bread

Following on from last weekend's experimental baking, I decided to have a go at another soda bread recipe. Again, the ingredients and quantities used were mainly based on what was in the cupboard, so I think a degree of flexibility is perfectly acceptable. 

Alternative soda bread ingredients

• 50g medium oatmeal
• 125ml water
• 75g Greek yoghurt
• 75ml milk
• 1 teaspoon soft brown sugar
• 175g wholemeal flour
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 15g butter
  

How to make alternative soda bread 

1. Add the oatmeal to a large pan and cover with the water.
2. Bring to the boil then turn off the heat.
3. Cover with a lid and leave for 50 minutes.
4. Beat the yoghurt, milk and sugar together and keep in the fridge till needed.
5. After 50 minutes, add the butter to the oatmeal and beat until it disappears.
6. Heat the oven to 190 degrees C (the Magic Cooking Number)
7. Add the yoghurt mixture to the oatmeal and beat until smooth.
8. Add the flour, bicarb and salt to the mixture and beat together to form a sticky dough.
9. Butter and line a loaf tin.
10. Tip the dough into the tin and cover the top, either with silicome paper if using, or tin foil.
11. Bake for 15 minutes.
12. Remove the foil/silicone and bake for another 30 minutes.