FRUIT & SPICE SODA BREAD

Fruit & spice soda bread image

A traditional Irish loaf that uses bicarbonate of soda instead of yeast - this version is sweetly spiced with fruit and oats

Provided by Sarah Cook

Time 1h5m

Yield Makes one large loaf enough for 8

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

100g rolled porridge oat
25g butter , diced
200g plain flour
200g plain wholemeal flour , plus extra for dusting
100g caster sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 ½ tsp mixed spice
50g raisin
50g sultana
50g stoned date , finely chopped
3 tbsp mixed peel
450ml buttermilk
3-4 tbsp demerara sugar

Steps:

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Whizz the porridge oats and butter together in a food processor, or rub the butter into the oats with your fingertips in a big bowl. Stir in the flours, caster sugar, bicarb, mixed spice, 1 tsp salt, the raisins, sultanas, dates and mixed peel.
Pour over the buttermilk and quickly stir in with a round-bladed knife. Tip out onto a flour-dusted surface and gently bring together into a ball with your hands. Transfer to a flour-dusted baking sheet and scatter over the demerara sugar, pressing it into the top. Use a sharp, flour-dusted knife to cut a big cross in the top and bake for 30-35 mins until crusty on the outside. Eat warm or cold, thickly sliced, with butter.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 405 calories, Fat 5 grams fat, SaturatedFat 2 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 79 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 41 grams sugar, Fiber 5 grams fiber, Protein 10 grams protein, Sodium 0.6 milligram of sodium