Nicola Millbank’s dill soda bread
This delightful, Irish-inspired rustic bread gets its name from the bicarbonate of soda that makes it rise. Nicola’s recipe calls for dill, which makes it the perfect accompaniment to smoked salmon or Irish stew, but you can substitute whichever fragrant herb you prefer. It’s a simple yet satisfying bake to master.
Method
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan and mix together all of the ingredients, except for the egg and buttermilk, in a bowl.
Make a well in the centre, crack in the egg and whisk together with the buttermilk, until it forms a loose dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and mould into ball.
Transfer onto a non-stick baking tray and cut a deep cross into the centre of the ball.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden and a knife comes out clean when pushed into the centre.
Serve warm with salted butter and pair perfectly with smoked salmon.
Ingredients
500g strong white bread flour
50g vegetable suet
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 Clarence Court hen egg
400ml buttermilk