Brown soda bread

When I first moved to Co.Clare and started working in a local coffee shop the older generation used to come in and ask for "brown cake"......... I kept offering them chocolate cake, only to soon find out it was brown soda bread they were looking for.

Very simple, tasty and not full of additives and stabilisers. This makes a small round loaf for larger families or just to freeze some double the quantities.

Brown soda bread

150g whole meal flour

150g plain flour

3/4tsp bread soda

250ml butter milk

1 egg

6g salted butter

200degrees celcius, gas 6

Sift the plain flour and the bread soda and stir into the whole meal flour. Rub the butter into the flours.

Whisk the egg into the butter milk. Make a well in the middle if the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in and gently bring the mix together with your fingers. Try not to overwork as this activates the gluten and makes the bread tough.

Tip onto a lightly floured clean work surface, wash and dry your hands and gently shape the mix into shape. Place onto a floured baking tray and cut a cross (to let the fairies out).

Bake for 30-40 minutes. It's ready when it sounds hollow when the base is tapped. Wrap in a clean, damp tea towel and allow to cool.