Baking

I'm still in the 'thinking hard' about everything stage of my Wolf 2 revision, which isn't very exciting to write about and doesn't really clock up the pages, so here's what else I did today. Made rye soda bread. If you've ever been to Ireland and stayed at a B & B, you've probably been served yummy, thick, dense, chewy, fresh wholemeal soda bread with butter and honey or jam or just butter. I've made the wheat version a few times because it's quick and easy (none of that kneading nonsense and pretty healthy)

Because it doesn't have yeast in it, I was thinking it would be nice as alternative to the rye sourdough I've been eating but given that most traditional soda bread has milk or buttermilk in it, have been hamstrung in my desire to try it out (I think I've mentioned the whole baker's granddaughter/occasionally obsessed with the urge to bake thing before). But after the okay to have natural yoghurt, I found a recipe that uses water and yoghurt intead of buttermilk, and can report that it was quite tasty with my (also homemade) chicken and vegie soup for lunch. I'm sure it would be yum with butter and honey or jam but they're still off the menu so I'll have to wait and see for that one. Might try some with almond butter for dessert tonight.

Soda bread doesn't keep terribly well, though this recipe said it would freeze, so I've cut up chunks and frozen those to have with the soup as I eat it during the week. Now I just need to make sure there will be no more freezer disasters.

And now, off for a walk, which I've been meaning to take since this morning. Feeling very bored with my usual walks so might drive to a nearby park and walk around that instead.

Oh, and the soda bread recipe (and I'm completely blanking on where I found this now but I think it may have been a BBC site?), in case anyone wants to give it a go (this makes two smallish loaves, I'll probably halve the recipe next time and make one just due to the best fresh factor):

450g (1 lb) wholemeal flour (I used rye, you could use wheat or spelt)
2 tspns bicarb soda
300g (1/2 pint) natural yoghurt.
150g (1/4 pint) warm water

Heat over to 200 degrees celsius (400 F) (my oven is fan forced and hot, I used 180). Sift flour into a large bowl. Mix in bicarb soda. Combine water and yoghurt in another bowl and mix well. Pour into flour mix and mix well. Add a little more water if too dry. Turn out onto a floured board and shape into two flattish oval loaves. Slice a cross in the top of each loaf with a knife (or two stripes or something).

Put onto a floured baking tray (I just used baking paper) and cook for 30 mins then turn oven down to 180 (I did 16) and cook for another 20 minutes or so (mine was more like 15). Like most bread, it's done when you tip the loaf over and it sounds hollow when you tap the bottom.