soda bread with sunflower and pumpkin seeds recipe

Here's a very quick and easy recipe for when you want almost instant bread on the table. It does not use yeast, so there's no proving, or waiting for it to rise.

Makes 1 x 500g loaf

• 225g strong white bread flour
• 225g wholemeal flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, dry-fried
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds, dry-fried
• 25g butter, melted
• 300ml buttermilk, or natural yoghurt thinned with milk

Preheat the oven to 180c/gas mark 4. Grease a baking sheet.

Sift the two types of flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt, bicarbonate of soda (carefully measured, as more than a level teaspoon makes the bread slightly bitter) and seeds. Pour in the melted butter and buttermilk and mix well to create a soft dough.

With floured hands, shape into a dough about 5cm thick and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Using a sharp knife, mark into 4-6 wedges, then bake in the middle of the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the base of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Allow to cool on a wire rack.