Tuesday 12 July 2011

Emergency Soda Bread Post

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There is nothing worse than when you run out of home made Bread.  I was just discussing this on Twitter with @VirtuousBread @windmillbakes.  Prepped has load of emergency recipes so I have this one up my sleeve.
Caraway Soda Bread. This bread is one of the fastest baking tricks on the planet. I challenge anyone to take more than five minutes flat to get it into the oven. Make no mistake: the speed of making it doesn’t mean you’re compromising on taste. On the contrary, the pace of its creation should be counterbalanced by the speed to eat it – which is best soon after baking.
Every now and then I like to grab a fast breakfast with friends straight from the school run. For me, it’s perfect timing to throw it in the oven just before I leave the house. Twenty-five minutes later I’m back. The kitchen is filled with the smell of fresh baking and the air with aromatic caraway. As you slice the crunchy crust you will notice that the warm dough is dense.  It has a solid satisfying eat to it. Still warm, dripping with butter and smothered in plum jam, it is best served with a good, strong cup of hot tea – and a smidgen of gossip.

Makes 1 good-size loaf
Prep time 4 minutes
Cooking time 25 minutes
Suitable for freezing? Yes, as soon as it is cool from the oven

500g of plain flour
11/2 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
1tbsp caraway seeds
450ml buttermilk

1 Preheat the oven to190˚C/gas mark 5 a good 10 minutes before you start making the bread.
2 Sift all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl
3 Add the buttermilk. Mix well but don’t overmix. It will go claggy and heavy if handled too much.
4 Turn the bread out into a lightly oiled bread tin.
5 Bake in the oven for approximately 25-30 minutes. Check to see whether the loaf is baked by slipping a knife into the centre. If it comes out clean, then it is done; if not, then return it to the oven for another 5 minutes and check again. When the loaf is baked all the way though it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
6 Serve warm from the oven.
 Tips
• Soak a tablespoon of dried lavender in warm buttermilk for 15 minutes and add to the dough with 3 tbsp of extra sugar for a sweetened lavender bread.
• Add the zest of 2 lemons and 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds for a lemon and poppy seed loaf.
• Make a savoury tea loaf by adding 100g of raisins.
• Double the recipe to freeze a batch

Since I have posted this a lovely lady Hannah has made a dairy free version on her fabulous Blog www.muddlingalongmummy.com

Links
>Serve Plum Jam:
> Double the recipe and make Scones:

4 comments:

  1. I love soda bread, it is fantastically easy, and also makes great toast the next day.

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  2. Yep made this the other day. Very nice & easy to do. Definitely great toasted.

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  3. This sounds delicious. I do love caraway. Will be trying this out!

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  4. This sounds delicious BUT I am trying to lose weight and wonder if a fat-free yoghurt could be used instead of the buttermilk?? I will have to experiment.

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