As for all soda breads, this is quick, easy and delicious, and with the added bonus of lovely dried fruit.
Makes: 10 – 12 slices (N.B. This recipe makes one medium sized loaf. The ingredients can easily be doubled if you want more.)
Time: About 45 minutes (Told you it’s quick)
Level: Easy
Credits: Adapted from an original recipe by Nadiya Hussain
Ingredients
- 125g plain white flour
- 125g wholemeal flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar (or use granulated sweetener for a sugar free version)
- ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 50g butter, softened
- 50g candied peel
- 50g dried fruit (currants, raisins, sultanas or other dried fruit – your choice, but keep the pieces small)
- Zest of one lemon or one orange (use half in the mixture, other half on top of loaf after baking)
- 200ml buttermilk
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/Fan 200C/425F/Gas 7. Line a baking tray with baking paper and sprinkle lightly with flour.
2. Put the flours, salt, sugar (or sweetener), bicarb, butter, candied peel, dried fruit and citrus zest into a bowl and mix really well.
3. Make a little well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk, using a palette knife to bring the mixture together.
4. Tip it out onto a work surface and gently but quickly bring the dough together, without kneading it – you don’t want to overwork it. (Speed is important because the chemical reaction that gives the loaf its rise will already have begun.)
5. Place the dough onto the prepared baking tray and flatten it down a little, then use a sharp knife to cut a cross shape most of the way through the dough.
6. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and tap the bottom to listen for a hollow sound that will tell you that it’s baked. Place on a wire rack to cool and sprinkle over the reserved zest.
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