MASTERCLASS FOOD
PHOTOGRAPHS: TERRY BENSON. STYLING: ROB MERRETT. FOOD STYLING: GLYNIS MCGUINNESS, GREGOR MCMASTER
Glynis McGuinness Food Editor
Homemade soda bread tastes delicious and has a gorgeous crust that’s so satisfying. The secret to making this yeast-free loaf is to handle the dough as little as possible – the exact opposite of making ordinary bread – and bake it as soon as it’s made. Plain flour is used instead of breadmaking flour and the raising agent is bicarbonate of soda combined with a slightly acidic liquid. Traditionally, buttermilk is used as an aid to rising the dough, but here we’ve combined natural yogurt with milk to get the same result.
450g plain white flour (not breadmaking flour), plus extra for shaping 1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 level tsp salt 1 level tsp caster sugar 300ml natural low-fat yogurt 150-180ml milk
182 9%
LOW
LOW
4g 4%
1.5g 2%
SUGAR
FAT
2 Mix the yogurt with 150ml of the milk. Add to the flour mixture in the bowl and mix with a large spoon until the mixture comes together – you may need to add a little more milk to make a soft but not sticky dough.
3
4 Transfer to the baking tray and, using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross in the top. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. If the loaf starts to brown too much, cover the top with a loose piece of foil shiny side up for the last 5 minutes. To test if the loaf is cooked, tap the bottom – if it sounds hollow, it’s ready.
Glynis’ tips
LOW
MED
0.6g 3%
0.9g 15%
SAT FAT
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and caster sugar into a large bowl. Sifting ensures the bicarbonate of soda is distributed well in the flour, which means the loaf will rise evenly.
Flour your hands and bring the mixture together. The bicarbonate of soda starts to work as soon as it mixes with the liquid, so you need to work quickly and handle the dough as little as possible. Gather the dough into a ball and put on a floured work surface. Shape into a round loaf about 20-22cm across.
Soda bread
CALORIES
1
SALT
● No yogurt? Increase
● Cutting a cross
● For a crusty loaf,
the amount of milk used to 450ml and mix it with 2tsp lemon juice or wine vinegar instead.
in the loaf helps it cook evenly – but Irish legend says it also protects the bread from fairies!
cool the baked bread on a wire rack; for a soft crust, wrap in a clean tea towel and leave until cold.
BASED ON GUIDELINE DAILY AMOUNT PER SERVING
JANUARY 2013 | ASDA.COM/MAGAZINE | 45