Soda bread is super simple, and delicious
Whenever it comes to making bread, I always get super paranoid. Like, what if I didn’t activate my yeast properly? Did I let my dough rest enough to rise? So many questions… questions that I’d rather not be asking myself. That is where this soda bread comes in. This super simple loaf is quick to make and tastes delicious. What’s great is that you can make this soda bread plain or add several different additions, like dried fruits and peel for a sweeter version, or cheese, nuts, and herbs for a more savoury style. Soda bread is something that everyone should add to their recipe catalogue.
No yeast bread
One of my favourite things about this soda bread is the fact that it requires no yeast. That means you do not need to wait around for the yeast to activate. You also don’t need to let it rise which can take time. You simply just need to mix all the ingredients together, form it and bake it. How simple is that? But I hear you asking, how does this bread get its delicious rise? Well, that comes from the chemical reaction between the baking soda and buttermilk. When the buttermilk bakes together with baking powder, bubbles form which creates a lift, resulting in a fluffy bread.
Equipment I use
As you can imagine, the equipment I use for making this soda bread is little to none. All you need is a bowl to mix everything in as well as a tray to put the loaf in the oven. A knife is also a great tool here for “cutting” the dough. And that’s it! I honestly believe you will be amazed at how quick this tasty bread is to make. And no, you also do NOT need to kneed this bread!
Looking for different savoury recipes to try out? Then check out all of my savoury recipes here!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F
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Put the flour, wholewheat flour, salt, and baking powder into a bowl. Mix together with a spoon or whisk until fully combined. Make a well into the centre of the dry ingredients. Pour ¾ of the buttermilk into the centre. With a knife (or if you like a mess, your hands), slice the dry ingredients into the centre with the buttermilk. Continue to do this until everything is combined. Pour the rest of the buttermilk into the mixture and continue to combine. Once the dough starts to form, use your hands to quickly everything together.
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Lightly dust the countertop and tip the dough onto it. Lightly dust the top of the dough and form into a round loaf shape. Don’t overwork the dough at this point! Dust an oven tray with a little bit of flour and place the soda bread dough ontop. Dust the top of the dough with some more flour as well as any extra toppings. Personally, I like topping it with some sea salt flakes and mixed herbs*. With a sharp, serrated knife, slice all the way through the dough in a cross (or in a star, as seen in the image). This allows the bread to rise really nicely and form delicious chunks of bread.
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Put the tray into the oven and bake for 30 minutes until the bread has risen and is beautifully golden. A good tip to check the doneness of your bread is to pick it up and tap on the bottom. If it sounds hollow, it’s ready! Remove the soda bread from the oven and put on a cooling rack. Can be enjoyed warm (let it cool at least 10/15 minutes) or cold. Will keep in a bread bin or wrapped in clingfilm for 3 to 5 days. The soda bread can also be frozen for up to 2 months!
