Just because lockdown is coming to a close, it doesn’t mean we should give up our baking skills. Even if you are a baking novice, soda bread is the easiest way to make tasty homemade bread. It is incredibly quick to do too. No yeast, no resting or proving. The bread can be made in less than 30-minutes.
Successful bread baking is an art, and as much as kneading bread can be therapeutic or stress-reducing, sometimes we don’t have the time. I love the idea of making my own bread but hate getting the sticky mess on my hands and under my nails. As you may know, I’m also very impatient, and waiting for the dough to rise is not something I am good at.
Alternatives to parchment or greaseproof paper
Admittedly, parchment and greaseproof paper is versatile and easy to use, but did you know it can not be recycled? As it is treated in production, to give it high stability and heat resistance, it is not compostable.
The best alternative is a baking mat, which are re-useable. They are available in various sizes, and the non-surface means you do not need to use oil or cooking sprays. The best bit, they are so easy to clean with a warm cloth or soapy water.
Sodium bicarbonate is used in this recipe, it is commonly known as baking soda or bicarbonate of soda.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200 or gas mark 6
- Line the baking tin with the parchment or greaseproof paper
- Sift the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl
- Stir in the olives and rosemary
- Add the yoghurt and bring the dough together with a wooden spoon. You may need to add water, do this a tablespoon at a time.
- Press the dough mixture out in a circle on the tray
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the bread sounds hollow when you tap on the underside
- Cool on a wire rack, and make sure it is cool before cutting
Other flavour ideas for the soda bread recipe
This recipe is so versatile, and if you want to experiment, you can replace the olives and rosemary with other ingredients. These could be garlic, sundried tomatoes, mixed fresh herbs, cheese, chilli or jalapeno, Guinness or ale, a tablespoon or two of pesto – the list goes on…
I play around with different flavours all of the time. A recent favourite was onion, mushroom and bacon. Plus, coriander, black onion seeds and mango chutney as an alternative to naan bread, when having a curry. I have even made sweet versions adding some sugar or sweetener, grated carrot, mixed spice and sultanas.
Other bread ideas
Sun-dried tomato cob loaf dip recipe
Slimming World friendly
I follow Slimming World*, and the whole loaf is 40 Syns if you are using fat-free natural or fat-free Greek yoghurt. Most of my meals are Syn free, so having a slice or 2 with my evening meals feels like I am having a treat, but I can remain on plan.
* The soda bread recipe is in no way connected, affiliated or endorsed by Slimming World. Every effort has been made to give you the correct Syns and information. I would encourage you to double-check these for yourself.
