SodaBread smells great

I promised this recipe to my pal Bob a wee while back. I shot it on video but wasn’t happy with the outcome. This morning I got up and did it again. Here you go, Bob.
SAFETY: 190 C is hot.

• Take care when you lift and handle hot-stuff (no silly, baking hot-stuff, not the other sort).
• Plan where you’re going to place things from the oven.
• Have your handling equipment like oven-gloves available.
• Supervise kids and explain any dangers.

Fast way to a tasty loaf

First things first, gather your ingredients:

Wet Ingredients

• 300 ml of whole milk
• 1 large free range egg
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Lemon juice

I use whole milk and lemon juice instead of buttermilk which can be hard to find out here in the East Neuk. The recipe is consistent because of standard ingredients.

Dry Ingredients

• 1 tsp bicarbonate-of-soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 250 gm wholemeal flour
• 100 gm plain flour
• 50 gm pinhead or medium cut oatmeal (any old will do if you don’t have it but it may turn out less crunchy)

Method for Hearty SodaBread

Get heated up

Start your oven warming to 190 C. or 375 F. I use a fan oven.

• Lay out and flour (dust) a baking tray or pizza stone. The dusted area is where you’ll place your loaf so it won’t stick when baking.
  OR …
• Bake your loaf in a bread or cake tin. Non-stick liners are an asset if doing that.

Bowled over

1. Add your dry ingredients in a nice sized bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly until evenly blended.
3. Make a well in the middle.

Little clear jug don’t I love thee?

1. Measure out your wet ingredients into a jug.
2. Whisk them together until well mixed.
3. Add 90% to well in dry ingredients – keep the rest in reserve … I’ll explain

All mixed up

• Don’t over mix. Bring the ingredients together until you have a uniform mixture.
• I use the ‘OR’ method in this post.
• EITHER …
  • Scrape mixture into your bread/cake tin.
  • Level the surface and press into corners.
  • Slash top, north to south, with blunt edge of table knife.
  • Dust with plain flour.
  • Put it in oven for 40 – 45 min (check at 40 min).
• OR
  • Flour work surface.
  • Shape by hand:
    • add more flour as needed,
    • work gently until you have your cylindrical shape.
  • Place on baking tray/stone.
  • Finish shaping into flat cylinder.
  • Slash a few times with blunt edge of table knife.
  • Put in oven for 40 – 45 minutes.

Out and proud

1. Lift your SodaBread out of the oven.
2. Test for readiness:
   • hold upside down on clean towel,
   • tap bottom – hollow ‘plonk-plonk’ sound means it’s good.
3. Put back in oven if you think it’s not quite ready.
4. Place on cooling rack and cover with a clean cloth.
5. Cut off a slice.
6. Enjoy.

There you go

It’s not complicated, but it needs patience. Don’t be scared to put it back in the oven if  you don’t think it’s done.
It’s great sliced hot with fresh butter … YUM. Got a big thumbs up from Meg this morning.

© Mac Logan