Brown Soda Bread Recipe

560g Brown wholemeal flour

560g Plain white flour

2 rounded teaspoons salt

2 rounded teaspoons bicarbonate of soda (sieved)

730 – 860ml Buttermilk

Pre-heat an oven to 230ºC/Gas mark 8

• Mix all the dry ingredients well. Make a well in the centre and add most of the buttermilk.

• Working from the centre, mix with your hand and add the remaining buttermilk if necessary. The dough should be soft but not too sticky.

• Wash your hands and dry them thoroughly. Then dust your hands lightly with flour and keeping the dough in the bowl, shape it into a neat ball before transferring onto a lightly floured baking sheet. (The flour on your hands will help to stop the dough sticking to your hands.)

• Flatten to about 2 inches thick, slice a cross into the top and bake for 15-20 minutes before turning the oven down to 200oC/400oF/Gas 6 for a further 20-25 minutes.

• The bread should sound hollow when tapped on the base, and should feel light in weight – if it feels heavy and dense, it is probably still a little raw and needs a few more minutes.