Thursday 9 February 2012

Soda Bread.


Desperate times require desperate measures. We are snowed-in, and have no bread.

So, this Soda bread is a really quick and easy solution. It takes all of an hour to both prepare and bake.

I used 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of rolled oats (whizzed-up to make a coarse flour), half teaspoon of baking soda, half teaspoon cream of tartar, 1 tablespoon butter, good pinch of both salt and sugar, and enough milk to make a soft dough.

I then formed it into the traditional shape (using the minimum of effort), drew a deep cross across the top, and baked for about 45 mins in our wood-fired oven.

This is the second one I've made within two days; yesterday's we ate with my favourite St Agur blue cheese. Slightly cave-man-ish, homespun, and rustic, but really delicious!

I recommend it to all (especially in times of need).

p.s. 4 by 4 owning neighbours have now rallied round, and their kindness has provided bread, milk, and butter. We shall survive!!

27 comments:

  1. I made some soda bread once. When I put it on the table, the table collapsed. How deep is the snow?

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    Replies
    1. All very "The Day After Tororrow!"

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    2. Sue, the snow has half-disappeared but it's now solid ice. The main roads are open, but small tracks (such as ours) are like ice rinks. It was minus 13 degrees C this morning.... we're staying in!

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  2. The advantage of soda bread is that it doesn't sulk in cold weather like a yeast dough!
    I'm trying to think of the causes of heavy soda bread-you need to be light handed and only use *just* enough liquid. Also use buttermilk/yoghourt/soured milk.

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    1. gz. I only had ordinary milk; we don't really have buttermilk over here. Mine turned out like a wholemeal biscuit with a bready interior. And seeing as I've never made or eaten it before, I have no idea how it SHOULD be!

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    2. you can sour milk with a little lemon juice-say a teaspoon to half a pint. Then the milk acts with the raising agent (bicarbonate of soda).
      Wrap the loaf in a teatowel when it is out of the oven, then it will have a softer crust. You can bake it on a bakestone too

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  3. Look out for the Hercules Red Cross airdrop Cro...

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    Replies
    1. Can we have it half in Euros, and half in Pounds?

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  4. You region must be similar to ours, in that we don't get many snows and it is a very big deal when we do and the roads, schools and businesses all shut down. We are not equipped to take on much snow. Enjoy the coziness of it all, soon it will melt and be a nice memory. The bread looks delicious.

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  5. Oh yum, I just love homemade soda bread. Yes, you can use it as a doorstop if need be but there's nothing tastier than fresh doorstop.

    And really, is there anything more fun than being snowed in?

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  6. Please stay safe and warm, Mr M and make sure Mrs. M is happy and warm :).
    Thank you so much for sharing you soda bread recipe in your time of need, I knew an Irish woman who worked at our coffee shop here, but she never would share her soda bread recipe, as she passed away before I could get it from her.
    Can you add fresh or dried herbs to this? I don't see why not.
    Take care please.

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    Replies
    1. I added Parsley, but couldn't taste it. Cumin might be nice!

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  7. My mom used to make Irish soda bread around St. Patrick's day, and my sister keeps the tradition. If you don't have buttermilk, add a tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to the milk. I remember that raisins and currents were also added to the recipe. It was all so good warm with lots of creamy butter.

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  8. I am pleased you shared this, as I have been meaning to make some. My Irish husband loves it.The best soda bread I ever ate was in a really tatty pub in Dublin, on the day of the Irish grand National... I must remember to put one in the furrow when I plough the back garden :-)

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  9. It looks really good! I'm going to make this for St. Patty's Day now.

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  10. My friend Roisin makes one variety, half wholemeal, with dried figs and chopped walnuts.

    Heavenly with a good cheese!

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  11. Sounds great Cro, cavemanish bread, a good cheese and snowed in with the one you love plus 2 dogs sounds very romantic..however it seems it is cold enough to freeze the romance out of some things lol..glad you got some supplies,I think the ice would be more dangerous to drive on than the actual snow...sorry you are so cold as you dislike winter so much,how are the boys handling it,bet they scoot out for a tinkle and straight back to the fire..

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  12. Your soda bread looks delicious. Glad the 4 x 4's have rallied round all the same.

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  13. I can't believe cave men ever ate so well! I love St Agur Cheese, too, and this bread looks like fun to make.

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  14. Glad to read you found a solution to your connundrum! I had to make soda bread as our staple for 3 months while my husband was on a cleanse to fix an intestinal yeast infection (darned antibiotics). Tasty but doesn't work well in the toaster.

    Have to say, though, that running out of bread has never happened in my life. Born on a ranch on the Canadian prairies, then homesteaded in the northwest corner of the province, I bought staples like flour and sugar in 25 kg bags and had supplies on hand to get us through 4 months without going to a store. Getting snowed in was a state of being. Glad to read you found a solution to your connundrum!

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  15. We used to make soda bread to distribute amongst the poor and needy of our neighborhood in times of need. Were they grateful?

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  16. Ab 5 years ago a man in County Limerick (about 85) showed me how to make soda bread using only his hands for measurements. The recipe much like yours but he added liguid treacle 1/4 cup for some added sweet. Yes he measured it in his hands as well. A weird old man with excellent bread.

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  17. GZ is right about the correct things to do. And, bake it in a cast iron skillet--bakes evenly. To see if it is done, lift the loaf out, and thump the bottom. If it sounds hollow, then it is done.

    I like whole wheat flour better.

    Mmmm. Nothing better

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  18. soda bread = good. survival skills = excellent. you shall overcome, sir and lady.

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  19. Hey Cro, when you're done with the soda bread there's a Prestigious Award waiting for you at my site. http://bit.ly/yixGGO

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  20. Soda bread sounds good, and like a couple others have said, the addition of 1 T vinegar to a cup of regular milk will serve as a sub for buttermilk. Hmm, now that you have the bread, perhaps you need some lutefisk to go with it?

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