This pecan-laden soda bread requires no kneading or proving and is ideal for people on yeast-free diets. It takes less than ten minutes to prepare and is divinely tasty with a dense yet soft interior and rustic, crusty exterior.
Prep time: 10 mins
Bake time: 45-55 mins
Total time: just over an hour
Ingredients:
275g Risen Awesome Wholemeal Flour
150g Risen Mighty White Bread Flour
35g granulated sugar
100g pecan nuts, chopped
60g cold, cubed butter
300g buttermilk
1 egg
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C and line a Dutch oven with parchment paper.
In a measuring cup make the buttermilk. Add either 2 tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to the milk. Leave to stand for 5 minutes and it should thicken up and look curdled slightly.
Mix together the flours, sugar, baking soda, salt, and pecans.
Whisk together the buttermilk and egg. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and mix to combine. The dough will be sticky so add a little more wholemeal flour if you need to.
Bring the dough together then shape it roughly into a ball and place the loaf in the parchment-lined Dutch oven. Use a sharp knife to cut a cross in the middle. It doesn't matter too much about how it looks, it is meant to be a rustic-looking loaf anyway.
Bake the bread for about 45 to 55 minutes, until it's golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the bread from the oven and brush the top with melted butter.
Eat within two days.