Irish Soda Bread - Super Quick & Easy Energy

This is my super easy and DELICIOUS Irish bread to make in your oven anytime, or can be baked in a covered heat proof dish on the BBQ, or wood stove if the power is out. Tastes wonderful hot or cold, has a great “mealy” texture and is very fulfilling. Perfect with hot soup to provide energy anytime.

Prep time 5 minutes, baking time 40-50 min depending on the heat source. If baked with BBQ heat it does not brown as much and baking time will vary- the loaf is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on the base. I prefer to use my homemade yoghurt instead of traditional buttermilk to make it. The pic I’ve uploaded was the loaf I made this morning 🙂

Approx 2 ½ cups plain white flour
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk OR fresh plain unsweetened acidophilus yoghurt

1. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl and stir in the salt. Make a well in the middle and pour in the yoghurt or buttermilk, stirring as you go until it forms into a soft, slightly sticky dough.
2. Tip it out on to a floured surface and knead lightly for about a minute at most, just long enough to pull it together into a loose ball. Add a little more flour if it is too sticky to work with.
3. Put the round of dough on a lightly floured baking sheet and dust over with some flour. Mark a deep cross in the centre with a sharp knife, cutting about two thirds of the way through. Put it in the middle of the oven which has been preheated to 200C (375 F) and bake for 40-45 minutes.
4. Cool on a wire rack if you like a crunchy crust, or wrap in a clean cloth if you like a soft crust.

For variation use half white and half wholemeal flour, add half a cup of roasted pumpkin seeds to the dough mixture. Sprinkle some more seeds over top of the loaf before baking.