However, most people are quite understandably put off by time and effort it takes to prepare a yeast-based bread – considering the busy lives we all lead, all that palaver involved in waiting for the dough to ‘prove’ is simply too much bother.
However, a solution can be found in the old store-cupboard staple that is bicarbonate of soda. A perennial favourite in Irish kitchens, the humble bicarb provides a pleasing alternative to yeast, not least because it does not require any time to ‘rise’, which means the entire process of bread-making is vastly simplified.
Below is a recipe for a fibre-packed, nutty, wholemeal soda bread, with a white version to follow later.
Wholemeal Irish Soda Bread (Serves 4)
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 50 mins
Ingredients:
180g wholemeal flour
50g plain flour
50g pinhead oatmeal*
25g wheatgerm
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon white sugar
1¼ teaspoons salt
280 ml buttermilk
1 egg, preferably free-range
(* Feel free to mix the pinhead oatmeal with other pre-cooked grains such as rye or pearl barley. If you live in the UK, Waitrose stocks a great four-grain mix of spelt, pearl barley, rye and wholemeal grains in their new ‘love life’ range, which works really well in this recipe.)
You will also need a small (1lb) loaf tin, slicked with a little butter.
1. Preheat oven to 190C / 375F / Gas 5
2. Place all the dry ingredients into a large-ish bowl.
3. Lightly beat the egg into the buttermilk.
4. With a fork, combine the buttermilk and egg mixture with the dry ingredients.
5. Spread the mixture into the greased loaf tin.
6. Cook for 50 minutes, until bread is golden-brown and emits a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom.
7. Allow to cook on a wire tray, while you enjoy the delicious smell of fresh-baked bread that has filled your kitchen!
It really is as simple as that!
Like most homemade breads, this one should be eaten fresh on the same day – but in the unlikely event that there is any leftover, it makes amazing toast for up to 3 days!
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