Soda bread is one of the easiest bread recipes to make and is the perfect way to start your Sunday morning - with the smell of freshly baked bread, slathered with salted butter.
This recipe uses soured milk - which we know doesn't sound appetising but is similar to using buttermilk in a recipe. So next time you have soured milk in the fridge, don't tip it!
Use it up by making scones, muffins or waffles, which benefit from the acidity to give a soft and fluffy result. Or try this speedy, sweet soda bread, lovely served with soup, cheese or even as a quick breakfast loaf.
You'll have delicious bread on your table in under an hour - now that's something we can get onboard with!
Check out our favourite bread recipes if you're looking for a fun weekend project to make.
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Yields:
8 serving(s)
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
35 mins
Total Time:
50 mins
Cal/Serv:
368
Ingredients
200g
plain flour
200g
plain wholemeal flour, plus extra to dust
2tsp.
bicarbonate of soda
75g
butter, chilled and cubed
40g
porridge oats
75g
raisins or sultanas
75g
ready-to-eat dates, finely chopped
250ml
soured milk, plus extra to brush, see GH TIP
3Tbsp.
runny honey
1/2Tbsp.
demerara sugar
Directions
Step 1Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6 and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. In a large bowl mix the flours, bicarbonate of soda and 1/2tsp fine salt. Add the butter and rub in using your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the oats and dried fruit.
Step 2In a jug, mix the soured milk (see GH TIP) and honey, until combined. Add to the dry ingredients and stir to make a soft dough. Tip on to a work surface and shape to a rough 17-18cm round (try not to overwork the dough or the soda bread may become tough).
Step 3Transfer to the lined sheet. Using a knife or the handle of a wooden spoon, slice/press a deep cross into the top of the loaf. Brush the top with soured milk, then sprinkle over the demerara sugar.
Step 4Bake for 30-35min, or until slightly risen and deep golden. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely before serving in slices.
GH TIP
If you don’t have soured milk, use buttermilk instead (you might need to add a little water to bring the dough together). Alternatively, you can add 1tbsp lemon juice to the same quantity of whole milk and leave to stand for 10min before using.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
