Sundried tomato and basil soda bread

Sun dried tomato & basil soda bread

The festive season is finally over and life is slowly getting back to normal thankfully.  I've also finally worked my way through the stock of baked goods that were in my freezer.   I admit it, I went a bit OTT with the baking and cooking before Christmas!!!!! 

I'd defrosted homemade soup for lunch, all I needed was some soda bread to go with it.  What I bake or cook depends on my moods, and today the mood was for sun dried tomato & basil.

Soda bread is one  of the easiest breads you can make since it's yeast free.  The bicarbonate of soda acts as the raising agent instead.  I'm a big believer in great base recipes, so here's mine for soda bread.  The recipe makes one small loaf, double the ingredients if you want to make a large one.

Base Soda Bread

8 oz Plain Flour

1 tsp Caster Sugar

1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

200 ml milk or 1/2 milk & 1/2 water

1 tsp Lemon juice

- Pre-heat oven too 230 Celsius/200 fan assisted. 

Then oil a loaf tin or a baking tray if you want a free form loaf

- Measure out milk and add lemon juice, leave for 5 Min's.

- Weight out the dry ingredients into a bowl and stir with a whisk to combine, make a well in the centre.

- Add liquid into the middle of your dry ingredients and use a knife to bring together.  Your looking for a wet sticky dough, finally use your hands to bring the dough together. 

- Either turn the dough  into your loaf tin or form into a ball on your baking sheet.  Place into the hot oven for 15 Min's before turning down the temp to 200 Celsius or 180 for fan assisted.  Bake for another 15 Min's. 

-Like scones, tap the base of the bread.  If it sounds hollow the bread is baked, if not put back into your oven for 5 more Min's. 

For variations add the spices or herbs in with the flour.  I prefer to add Zest in with the liquid. 

You can also pat out the dough and cut into small soda scones. 

Variations to Base recipe

Tomato & basil soda bread

3-4 sundried tomato's chopped

1 tbsp fresh basil - ripped or chopped

Cinnamon soda bread

Handful of raisins

1 tsp cinnamon

Orange & cranberry soda bread

Zest of 1 orange

Handful of dried cranberry's

Rich Soda Bread

1 tsbp vegetable oil

Or make up your own flavour's xxxx