The excesses of the festive season have resulted in some excesses in the tummy region... for more than one of us in this household. So in the spirit of January there has been some resolving to eat more fruit and veg and less cake.
But the desire to bake is a strong one, so instead of cake today I've made bread. A good healthy soda bread...
The perfect accompaniment to a bowl of fresh vegetable soup.
Except it tastes so good and I've eaten so much of it I think I might have been better off with cake!
Should you wish to join me in pretending to be virtuous... my recipe:
Put 500g strong bread flour in a large bowl (I use 350g wholemeal and 150g strong white). Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda. Rub in 30g of cold butter. Stir in enough buttermilk to make a soft dough. The amount needed will depend on the flour used (wholemeal flour soaks up more liquid) but it should be between 280 - 420 ml (10-15 fl oz). Knead until smooth and shape into a flat disc. Put onto a baking tray, mark the top with a cross and bake at 220 deg C for about 35 minutes.
Serve warm with lashings of butter and jam
Best eaten within 24 hours.
Looks great Gina :-) I've resisted making a loaf this year because the temptation to wander into the kitchen and cut another slice would be too much!
ReplyDeleteBet it was scrummy with that soup .
Celia
x
i have a bread machine that i haven't used in over a year. it makes such luscious bread that i can't stop eating it...not a good thing. yours looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteMmmm, looks good and sounds nice and easy to achieve too!
ReplyDeleteWhat with the post title,'Daily Bread' and the virtuous resolve to eat more fruit and less cake, I feel I should end my comment with 'Amen'! ;)
Vivienne x
I gt on the scales last week and was pretty pleased - 3lb seemed a small price to pay for a lovely Christmas. Then I got on again this morning and discovered those 3 had called all their friends to join the fun. How rude!
ReplyDeleteLooks delicious and I bet it tastes delicious. At least with many cakes you only want one slice whereas with bread - especially homemade - two or three go down too easily. You did your best to be healthy!
ReplyDeleteOh, it looks soooo good. I'm supposed to be having a 'fruity' day and am craving sugar, bread, anything that isn't a grape or chunk of mango. I wouldn't be able to resist that bread.
ReplyDeleteBread is my down fall - I've resorted to buying a slimming loaf so I don't eat as much - it is generally working, but if I'm not careful I can eat two slices of toast and marmalade instead of one!
ReplyDeleteI can't eat brown bread, but fresh white bread, 'real;' butter and home made jam - I could live off that alone.
Exactly what I've been making today Gina - with one ingredient missing,
ReplyDeletesalt.
It has totally cured me of my craving for bread. Emergency salt free diet to reduce high B.P. won't know if it has worked until next week but 8lbs off in eight days is amazing - probably all fluid I know but every little helps.
ooh, that looks so yumptuous Gina, I can smell it from here. I must admit good bread calls to me more than cake!
ReplyDeleteYum, looks delicious. I'm yet another person who would far rather eat good bread than any amount of cake.
ReplyDeleteLove soda bread, thanks for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteLooks soo... scrummy! I haven't made soda bread since I was first married, 40 years ago, maybe it's time I made some again.
ReplyDeleteLooks gorgeous. Will it freeze?
ReplyDeleteThat made me smile, I know the feeling
ReplyDeleteGreat minds think alike I made soda bread today too. I'll give your recipe a try next time! As you say not good for the waistline though.
ReplyDeleteYou're so funny -- it looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteHome made soups are a winner here too, but unfortunately they do rather call out for bread......
ReplyDeleteThe bread looks lovely but I think I'l leave the baking to you.
ReplyDeleteI thought I'd been quite self-controlled over Christmas. But my jeans tell a different story. And I am craving cake.
ReplyDeleteOh that looks lovely - i can agree with you on too much cake - but it is fun baking them!
ReplyDeleteI love the smell of baking bread Gina but I hardly touch the stuff myself. Occasionally I have a craving for really naff white bread doorsteps made into toast but I can usually pass it by. I think my husband would love this but even he couldn't polish off a whole loaf in 24 hours. Sounds like friends should be invited for a lunch of soup and a sandwich just so I can try out the recipe!
ReplyDeleteHi Gina, saw this and thought of you, http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/collection-and-exhibitions/exhibitions/lost-in-lace/
ReplyDeleteYou probably know about it already but if you don't thought it would be something that you may love. x