A traditional Irish loaf that uses bicarbonate of soda instead of yeast – this version is sweetly spiced with fruit and oats
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:30 mins
- Cook:35 mins
- Easy
- Makes one large loaf enough for 8
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
Method
- STEP 1
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.
- STEP 2
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.
