Traditional Irish Brown Soda Bread

Unlike many of the recipes here, none of the soda bread that I have ever eaten in Ireland was sweet or contained sugar, so here is a recipe for a traditional soda bread from Keith Floyd. This is great with Irish Stew but also a handy recipe to have in reserve for the times that you run out of bread and can't face going to the shops. Do feel free to substiute buttermilk for the sour milk in this recipe.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 500  g whole wheat flour
• 150  g strong white flour
• 50  g oatmeal
• 1  teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 475 -725  ml  sour milk (or fresh milk soured with juice of 1/2 lemon)

Directions

1. Mix the dry ingredients very well.
2. Moisten with the sour milk to form a soft dough.
3. Knead lightly.
4. Form into a round, mark with a cross, place on a tin and bake for 30-45 minutes in the oven at 220°C.