Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:

400g plain gluten free flour

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp caster sugar

1/2 tsp Xanthan gum

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 large egg (lightly whisked)

200ml natural yoghurt

100ml milk

1 tbsp lemon juice

Extra gluten free flour for dusting

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190C.  Line a baking sheet with a piece of baking paper and set aside.

2. Mix the yoghurt, milk and lemon juice in a bowl and stir.  The lemon juice should cause the milk/yoghurt to curdle a little, which is what you’re looking for.

3. In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, Xanthan gum, sugar and bicarbonate of soda and mix well.  Pour in the yoghurt/milk/lemon mixture and then add the egg (which should be whisked enough to combine the yolk and white).

4. Use a wooden spoon to bring the mixture together into a soft, sticky dough.  Dust the workshop with a sprinkle of gluten free flour and turn out the dough.  Dust some gluten free flour on your hands and then lightly mould together into a ball.  Don’t over work it as you don’t want to add too much more flour to the mix.

5. Mould the dough into a circle shape and place it on the centre of the lined baking sheet.  Use a knife to score an X into the top of the dough and sprinkle with a little extra flour.

6. Bake the dough in the centre of the hole oven for around 30 mins.  It should be lovely and golden and sound hollow when the tap the top and bottom of the loaf.  Once baked, remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.