Want a simple bread recipe? This Irish soda bread requires no kneading or proving, is yeast-free and takes mere minutes to prepare. Above all, it's delicious

• Preparation and cooking time
  • Prep:5 mins
  • Cook:40 mins
• Easy
• Cuts into 10 slices

• Vegetarian

Ingredients

• 500g plain wholemeal flour
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary (optional)
• 400ml whole milk
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tsp honey

Method

• STEP 1

  Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix together the flour, salt and bicarb in a bowl. And if you’d like rosemary bread, add the chopped rosemary too.

• STEP 2

  Mix together the milk and lemon juice in a jug, and wait for a minute as it magically turns into buttermilk. Then stir in the honey, and simply pour it into the flour mixture. Stir it with a knife for a minute until the whole thing comes together into a sticky dough.

• STEP 3

  Tip onto a floured work surface and shape it into a ball.

• STEP 4

  Put the ball on a floured baking tray and, using a sharp knife, make a deep cross on top.

• STEP 5

  Put in the oven and bake for 40 mins.

• STEP 6

  Cool on a wire rack until warm, then slice and serve.