Soda bread

Quick, no knead bread made with baking soda

I like this bread, easy, quick and utterly satisfying. A perfect companion to a piping hot bowl of soup, and it surely flies with smoked salmon and avocado.

You will need (makes a small bread):
100 g wholemeal flour
140 g strong bread flour
1 scant tbsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda / sodium bicarbonate)
pinch of salt
100 g buttermilk
1 egg
1 tsp honey or agave nectar

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (put your round pyrex into the cold oven first).

2. Mix the two flours, salt and baking soda in a large bowl.

3. Whisk the egg, buttermilk and agave nectar in a jug.

4. Make a well in the centre of the flour mix and slowly pour in the buttermilk-egg mixture, bringing the flour and liquid together with your fingers.

Do not over-mix. Kneading will make the dough heavy.

The lactic acid in the buttermilk reacts with the sodium bicarbonate (leavening agent) to form tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide.

5. Turn the dough into a floured surface and form into a round shape.

6. Place the dough into the lightly floured, preheated pyrex (use oven gloves!), and cut a deep(ish) cross on the top. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, till the bread has a nice golden crust or until it sounds hollow when tapped.

7. Cool on a wire rack before serving. Enjoy!

Allergy: gluten, egg, dairy. No yeast. No sugar.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!