Oat Soda Bread

This bread recipe doesn't use yeast. Instead, the baking soda helps it to puff up, and also gives it a distinct flavor. Once you try it, you'll  never forget what soda bread tastes like.

The dough will be relatively moist and sticky. This is OK. Don't fret if you don't have buttermilk. You can make it easily by adding a few drops of white vinegar or a few squeezes of lemon to regular milk (let it sit for a few minutes after this).

This is a pretty basic recipe, so feel free to fiddle with it as you like. Raisins are a common addition to soda bread (I prefer golden ones), and it makes a nice morning toast topped with a pat of butter.

The Recipe

makes 1 loaf

2 cups oat flour (use a food processor to pulse and grind up oats)
1 cup white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour, spelt flour or wheat germ
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of sugar
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
various seeds
butter for greasing pan, putting on top

Preheat oven to about 400F degrees. Mix the dry ingredients until blended. Then stir in the buttermilk until all dough is evenly moistened. If necessary, stir in some additional flour. If you wait a few minutes, the baking soda will soak up some of the excess moisture.

Place in a greased and floured loaf pan. Brush the top with melted butter or a little milk and sprinkle the top with seeds. Bake for about 30 minutes, then check the top to see how brown it is. Move the oven rack up if the top needs a little more browning. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.