Irish Farmhouse Cheese and Oat Soda Bread

irish-farmhouse-cheese-and-oat-soda-bread2

 Serves 1 Loaf

Ingredients

  • 275g plain flour, plus extra for kneading
  • 1 teasp. salt
  • 1 rounded teasp. bicarbonate of soda
  • 250g stoneground wholemeal flour
  • 25g porridge oats, plus extra for sprinkling
  • 125g Farmhouse cheese, coarsely grated
  • Approximately 500ml buttermilk

To Cook

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 8, 230ºC (450ºF). Sift the plain flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl and stir in the wholemeal flour, 25g of the oats and 75g of the grated cheese. Make a well in the centre, add 450ml of the buttermilk and mix together to make a soft but not too sticky dough. Add a little more buttermilk or milk if the mixture seems a little dry.

Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and knead very lightly and briefly into a round. Flip the dough over and gently flatten it into a disc about 4cm thick.

Lightly dust a baking sheet with flour and place the dough on it and sprinkle over the remaining cheese and a few more oats. Then using a large, sharp knife, cut a large cross into the top of the loaf, almost all the way through the dough.

Bake the loaf on the middle shelf of the oven for 15 minutes. Then lower the oven temperature to Gas Mark 6, 200ºC (400ºF).and bake for a further 20-25 minutes, until it sounds hollow when you tap the base. Leave to cool before serving.

http://www.bordbia.ie/consumer/recipes

Traditional Irish Brown Soda Bread

brown soda bread

 This is a delicious, easy and very healthy bread.

Ingredients

  • 250g wholemeal flour
  • 200g plain white flour
  • 1 teasp. bread soda, sieved
  • 1 teasp. salt
  • 1 egg
  • 350ml buttermilk, approx.
  • 1 teasp. Honey

Optional Topping:

  • 1 tablesp. sesame seeds or pinhead porridge oats

To Cook

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6, 200°C (400°F).

Mix the flour, bread soda and salt together in a bowl.  Combine the egg with the buttermilk and honey then mix into the flour.  Add a little more buttermilk if the mixture is dry – it should be a soft dough.  Then pour the lot into a lightly oiled loaf tin.  Sprinkle the sesame seeds or porridge oats over the top of the loaf if using.

Bake for 45-50 minutes.  To know when it is cooked simply tap the bottom of the loaf – it will sound hollow when it is fully cooked. Remove from the tin and wrap in a clean tea towel while cooling.  This will keep the crust soft.