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Soda Bread

Introduction & method

If you need to make bread in a hurry, try soda bread. Originally from Ireland, soda bread requires no yeast or proving and you can make it from start to finish in less than one hour.

 Soda Bread Recipe

Sour the Milk


Traditionally, soda bread uses buttermilk to help it rise, but if you don't have any to hand you can still make soda bread by adding lemon juice to normal milk. Leave it to stand for five minutes and the milk will begin to sour - it should look like it has bits of fibre in it.

Make the Dough


In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Mix in the soured milk or buttermilk until you get a wet dough. Sprinkle flour on your worktop, tip out the dough and shape it into a ball. Sprinkle a baking sheet with semolina, polenta or rice flour - this will stop the dough from sticking. Place the ball of dough in the centre and slash a cross in the top with a sharp knife.

Bake the Soda Bread


Heat your oven to 180° Celsius (356° Fahrenheit) for a fan/convection/airfryer oven, or 200° Celsius (392° Fahrenheit) for a conventional one, or gas 6. Bake the bread for 40 minutes. It should sound hollow when you tap the bottom. Place on a wire rack to cool before eating.


The video above is from the Keef Cooks YouTube channel. Click here to see the video recipe of Soda Bread on YouTube.

 
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Ingredients & Info



 450 grams plain white (all-purpose) flour
 375 ml milk
 2 tbsp lemon juice
 1 tsp salt
 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

PLUS

Semolina, polenta or rice flour for the baking sheet.


UNITS:
Metric
US Customary/Imperial

Makes 1 loaf
Prep time: 10 minutes.
Cooking time: 40 minutes.
Total time: 50 minutes.