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Soda bread

This traditional Irish loaf uses bicarbonate of soda instead of yeast as its raising agent. The advantage is that you don’t have to wait for it to rise or prove, but the resulting loaf will not keep as long and is best eaten the same day. If you can’t buy buttermilk, use ordinary milk instead, but add a level teaspoon of cream of tartar.

Print recipe
Makes 1

Makes 1

Vegetarian

Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 150g wholemeal flour
  • 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp table salt
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 450ml buttermilk

Cooking instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/Gas 6.
  • Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl and make a well in the middle. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk and add the rest to the bowl, mixing lightly with a fork as you add it. (Be careful not to overwork the dough but make sure all the dry ingredients are mixed in. Add the remaining buttermilk if necessary.)
  • Tip the dough on to a floured work surface and knead gently for 30 seconds to combine. Do not overwork. Line a baking sheet with baking paper and dust with flour. Form the bread into a round, place on the tray and flatten slightly. Use a serrated knife to cut a deep cross in the top of the loaf.
  • Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30–35 minutes until the soda bread is golden on the outside and cooked through. A good way to check is by tapping the base – it should sound hollow when cooked.
  • Cool on a wire rack before enjoying warm or cold.

Read more in Gordon's recipe books...

Recipes extracted from Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Cookery Course, published by Hodder & Stoughton, £30

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