Soda bread, originally from Ireland, is the clever cook’s loaf which can be mixed, shaped and baked in less than an hour.
It is versatile and can be a great staple for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Serve with smoked salmon for a leisurely breakfast or with butter and jam as an afternoon treat.
1. Put flour, oats, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a bowl. Stir to combine and make a well in centre.
2. Add honey and buttermilk and stir to bring mix together. Add a splash of milk if needed, to form a soft dough.
3. Lightly flour work surface and tip dough out. Gently knead bread to bring it together into a round. Unlike yeasted dough, it’s important not to over-work it, or finished bread will have a heavy texture.
4. Put loaf on to a lightly floured baking sheet. Brush with a little milk and sprinkle over a few oats. Finally, cut a deep cross in top of dough.
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5. Bake at 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6 for 30–35min, until bread is slightly risen and sounds hollow when tapped underneath.
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The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
