Clodagh McKenna's lockdown soda bread
As we enter another lockdown, it’s time to start making bread again! Clodagh’s here with her special soda bread.
Rosemary soda bread
Makes 1 loaf
Ingredients
200g / 1 ¾ cups white flour / all purpose flour
2 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda / bread soda
350g / 3 cups wholemeal flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
250ml / 1 cup natural yogurt
350ml / 1 ½ cups milk
*Note you can also use 600ml buttermilk, or 600ml of milk instead of the milk and yogurt mix
For brushing
Milk and yogurt mix (for brushing)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C, 425°F, Gas Mark 7
2. Sieve the white flour and bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large mixing bowl, and stir in the wholemeal flour. Using clean hands mix the flours, bread soda and half of the finely chopped fresh rosemary together. Make a well in the centre of the bowl.
3. Whisk together the yogurt and milk and slowly pour into the well of the flour. Using a fork mix the flour into the milk mixture. Make sure that there are no dry patches and that the dough is completely wet. Pat your hands with flour and shape the dough into one round. Place on a floured baking tray. Flour a large knife and cut the shape of a cross into the top of the dough about two-thirds of the way through. Brush the round of bread with the milk and yogurt mixture using a pastry brush, this will give a lovely golden colour to the bread once baked. Sprinkle the remaining finely chopped fresh rosemary on top.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C, 400°F, Gas Mark 6 for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 150°C, 350°F, Gas Mark 4 for a further 20 minutes. To test whether the loaf is cooked, tap the back with your knuckles; it should sound hollow. Leave to cool on a cooling rack.