A wholesome loaf ready in under an hour? Oh yes! Absolutely wonderful fresh from the oven or toasted for breakfast the following day.
On retirement, my mother made bread on a weekly basis, using the warmth of her Aga to allow the dough to rise. She experimented with different flours and used her Kenwood dough hook to mix it all together. It made it very easy for her.
Despite this, the thought of making a loaf of bread has always filled me with trepidation as it can be a fairly lengthy process. When we came to live in the west of Ireland, I was delighted to learn about soda bread which requires no yeast, no proving, and very little kneading. You also don't need a loaf tin as you simply shape the dough into a round, cut a cross in the top and pop it into the oven. What could be easier!
450g plain flour
(or 225g each of white and brown)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp baking powder
350ml buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 200ºC
Sieve the dry ingredients into a bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in most of the buttermilk and mix with the flour, adding more buttermilk if needed. (I use a flat knife to do this but it is traditional to use your hand!) You should end up with a soft dough that is not too sticky.
Put the dough onto a well floured board and shape into a round loaf, about 20cm in diameter. Place onto a baking sheet and cut a deep cross into the dough.
Bake in your preheated oven for about 35 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. If it needs a bit longer, turn it upside down on the baking sheet and cook for a further 5-10 minutes.
I used a white flour but do experiment with brown or wholemeal flour. I have also recently made a pumpkin soda bread for Halloween.
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