RUSTIC IRISH SODA BREAD, easy-peasy, yeast, egg & butter free

Soda breads are so easy and yet so delicious but this one ultra-healthy...

No yeast, butter or eggs in this pleasing rustic loaf

67's favourite soda bread - rich and crumbly, made with butter and eggs  -appears in the blog in many guises and will be made again and again.

But 67 has been looking for some time for a less rich soda bread without butter and eggs, often found at the breakfast table in Ireland.  None of the recipes found favour...until this one.

The recipe come from Food & Wine Magazine and is attributed to Margaret Eby, author of the recent post on baking substituions.

It is a sturdy bread but completely delicious and satisfying, even without butter spread on top.  It keeps well in an air tight tin for several days.  And, it toasts -and freezes - without falling apart.

67 used Duchy organic malted grain flour and the flavour was magnificent.  The texture was dense, yes, but charming in its simple roughness.  I have no doubt the recipe would work well with any other flour.  

And like most soda-breads, it is ultra easy to make, going from bowl to oven in 10 mins max.

Note: 67goingon50 prefers soda bread cooked in small loaf pans; it's ideal for small households as one can be frozen.  Loaves are also better for making sandwiches.  

Cost: £1.50

Makes: 2 x 1 pound loaves OR 1x 2 pound loaf

Ingreds:

454gm/16oz plain flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

min 360ml - max 480ml buttermilk

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200C/400F
2. In a large bowl, mix flour salt and baking soda
3. Make a well in the middle, add 320ml buttermilk, mixing until a soft dough  which holds its shape forms; the dough should not be crumbly 
4. If mix is too dry, carefully add - tablespoon by tablespoon - up to 120 ml more buttermilk
5. Either (a) divide the dough in half, form into loaves, and drop into two 1 pound loaf pans lined with greaseproof paper OR (b) form into a freeform 8inch/20.3cm circle, cutting a cross in the middle and place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper or (c) Scrape into a 2-pound loaf pan lined with greaseproof paper
6. Bake 35-40 mins small loaves or 45min large; the bottom should sound hollow when tapped

Comment:

'I was really surprised at how good this bread was given the apparent paucity of ingredients.  Will definitely make again.' Retired writer

Tip:

• 67 only had 280ml buttermilk and made up the rest with a 75-25% mix of plain yoghurt and water 
• adding a couple of generous handfuls of toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds would add crunch and be fab with cheese

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.