Sunday, 30 June 2013

Recipe: no buttermilk soda bread: cheaper than chips

Buttermilk is quite expensive.  Given that it's the residue from butter making, you'd have thought it would cost less than it does.  That means that while home made soda bread is better value (and nicer) than shop bought, it's not all that frugal.
So I looked for a recipe that used milk instead of buttermilk.  Really, I ought to use up any sour milk baking soda bread, but I always seem to forget.

Anyway, here it is and it was very tasty.  I actually made half quantities because it was a test and the loaf it made wasn't huge but rose well and will provide three of us with bread for our soup today.
It is not my recipe, I found it a long time ago and saved it on my hard drive.  I can't remember where it comes from but if i do, I will amend this post accordingly.

Photo borrowed from Google but my bread looked just like this
Ingredients:
400g (1lb) plain white flour (or a mixture of white and wholemeal flour which makes it more expensive)
1 tsps. salt or less

Either:
2 tsps. bicarbonate of soda
4 tsps. cream of tartar 
Or:
4 tsp baking powder
(I used baking powder)

25g (l oz) fat (I used 15  ml veg oil and it was fine)
250ml (1/2 pint) milk (approx.)

Method:

Sift the flour, salt, soda and cream of tartar into a bowl. Rub in the fat and add enough milk to make a soft dough.

Turn the mixture onto a floured board and knead lightly for one minute. Shape into a round and place on a greased baking sheet. Mark with a cross, cutting almost to the base of the dough.

Bake at 220 C (425 F) Gas 7 for 40-50 mins until well risen, lightly browned and firm underneath (my smaller loaf took a lot less time - more like 20 mins and then another five turned over).

Note: The bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar can be replaced by 4 tsps. of baking powder.

If soured milk  is used instead of fresh milk reduce the cream of tartar to 2 tsps.

And the cost per quarter is around 12p, assuming value flour is used.


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