Herb Soda Bread
It’s Sunday afternoon. The last day of the school holidays. The first day of daylight savings. The Father Figure is at work and I am faced with four, hungry, cranky, children.
I suddenly realise I have absolutely no idea what time it is. My brain is confused by the clocks shifting, and the sunshine, and not wanting to get out of bed this morning, and the kids staying in their PJs most of the day…
I glance at the clock on the oven, it’s 12:40pm, no wonder they are hungry! Wait, I didn’t change that clock, so actually it’s 1:40pm. Where did the day go?
I love daylights savings. I love the long light filled evenings. I love that it makes everything feel like summer, even when it is still freezing outside. I love it… but for the first week or so, my days seem to get sucked into the vortex of time and I find myself running late for everything.
But yesterday I fought back, just a little. Even though it was well past lunch time I made bread for lunch. Yep, bread.
Soda bread is the quickest way to warm, buttery, bready goodness as the whole lot is mixed, cooked and on the table in less than an hour. This one is based on a recipe from River Cottage with a few changes and extra’s thrown in.
- 500g flour (wholemeal or spelt is good too)
- 2 tsp bicarb soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 300ml plain greek yoghurt
- 100ml milk (plus extra if needed)
- 2 tbsp chopped herbs – fresh or dried.
- Preheat your oven to 200 C (approx 395 F) and grease a medium sized tray or baking dish.
- Combine the milk and yoghurt and stir well.
- Put the flour, herbs, bicarb and salt into a large bowl and mix well with a whisk (or you can sift the flour, bicarb and salt but I am too lazy to do that).
- Make a well in the middle of the flour mix and pour in the yoghurt and milk.
- Stir well, adding a little more milk or water if needed to make a soft, but not sticky dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and give it a quick knead, but don’t over work or take to long, it doesn’t matter if it is lumpy and floury in places.
- Form the dough into a rough circle and put it on your tray or dish. Cut a cross in the centre and brush with whatever milk/yoghurt is left.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the bread is golden brown on the outside and sounds hollow when you tap it.
- Take it out of the oven and allow it to cool a little before slicing.
That sounds yummi — although here is one question: You do mean baking soda or yeast? I have never made a bread with baking soda, but this recipe really sounds good.
So long — and I am so jeleous that you are heading right into the summer while our fall is rather rainy…
Corinna
This is not a true bread with yeast… more of a cheats bread, which is kinda cake like, which is why the dough doesn’t take time to rise. So you use bicarb soda, or baking soda would work too, though you may want to pop in a smidgen more.
Yum! I am definitely trying this bread!! I love daylights savings… The best part is being able to walk my golden retriever when it’s still light!!!
That looks amazing and if I was alone I’d probably devour it all, especially with lashings of butter. LOL
We haven’t had daylight saving time change here. When we do, we so need to try this bread.
This looks really yummy! My mum loves to make soda bread and this looks like a great recipe. I’ll be buying some greek yoghurt and trying this week :-)
that looks so yummy!
Looks very good, almost the same as ours, even though we have a slightly different recipe. We’ve done five different versions so far, if you’d like to check them out: http://glitteringmuffins.com/2013/03/04/ireland-soda-breads-regular-sweet/
Yum! The last pic with the butter melting got me- totally making this!
Easy & Excellent, Thanks!