Easy soda bread recipe can be made in under an hour

Fill the house with the wonderful smell of freshly baked bread. Photo / Fresh Media

There’s nothing quite like a loaf of fresh, crusty bread, still warm from the oven, to go with a bowl of hot soup. If you don’t have time for the kneading and proving required for yeast bread, then a traditional soda bread is the perfect solution. It takes only about 15 minutes to make and a further 40 minutes to cook. If any bread survives dinnertime, it’s also delicious slathered with butter and jam.

Easy soda bread

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

250g plain white flour

250g wholemeal flour

100g rolled oats + 1 Tbsp extra oats for the top

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

25g melted butter

470ml milk

3 Tbsp white vinegar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Pour the milk into a jug, add the white vinegar, and stir. Set aside for 10 minutes to sour the milk.
3. In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients.
4. Pour the milk and melted butter into the dry ingredients.
5. Use a table knife to bring the dough together. Gently use your hands to shape a round loaf.
6. Dust a large baking tray with flour and place the dough on the tray.
7. Using a knife, score a cross on the top of the loaf, then sprinkle on some oats.
8. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes.
9. Check that the loaf is cooked by tapping it on the bottom. If it sounds hollow, the loaf is ready.

– fresh.co.nz