The Fife bannock is a traditional bread of Scotland. I like to think of it as Scottish soda bread. This is the perfect wee recipe for quick and easy bread that requires no yeast or rising time, contains basic pantry ingredients and kids can make it with you.
Scottish Soda Bread
Bread may well be the staff of life. But it was the humble bannock that fed the Scottish nation for a great many years.
Bannocks
Unlike bread, bannocks can be ‘baked’ on the hob as opposed to the oven. So even armies on the move could rustle up their ‘daily bread’ whilst on the move.
Bannocks are very similar in makeup to oatcakes. But they are much lighter and more like bread in texture. They are in fact a soda bread. Once tasted I’m quite sure bannocks will become part of your baking repertoire.
Easy no yeast bread
There is no yeast involved in making a Fife Bannock (or Scottish Soda Bread). Instead, good old Bicarbonate of Soda is used as your raising agent. You also do not need to leave this dough to rise. This Scottish soda bread packed with healthy oats is therefore a quick way to make bread.
Can you use plain flour to make soda bread?
I always make this simple Scottish soda bread using plain flour. However, if you want to use a mix of wholemeal flour or just use all wholemeal flour then that’s fine too.
I wouldn’t use bread flour for soda bread though.
Can you make soda bread in a pan on the hob?
You have a choice with this wee recipe. Either bake the soda bread in the oven at 180C for about 15 minutes on a baking tray or bake on a griddle/girdle (aka a heavy-based frying pan) on the hob until browned on either side.
How long will it keep?
This Scottish soda bread/Fife Bannock will keep for a couple of days wrapped in baking parchment/cling film.
Will it freeze?
Yes. You can freeze your Scottish soda bread/Fife Bannock wrapped in baking parchment and cling film for up to three months.
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Scottish Soda Bread aka Fife Bannock
Karon Grieve
A Fife Bannock is a form of yeast free soda bread and is super easy to make either on the hob or in the oven
preheat oven to 180C if using and grease a baking tray
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cream of tartar, salt and sugar into a large bowl
Add the oatmeal and mix well and rub in the butter
Add as much of the buttermilk or plain yogurt as you require to form a dough
Turn dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly
Pat it into a round shape and press down till it is about 1cm thick all over and make a deep cross to form quarters
If baking place on prepared baking tray and into oven for approximately 15 minutes or until golden and a skewer comes out clean
If using the hob place your bannock either in a hot girdle/griddle or in a flying pan (or hotplate of Aga) and brown on underside the turn over and do the other side
cool on a wire rack
Notes
You can make this simple soda bread either on the hob in a heavy-based pan or in the oven.
I use plain flour for this recipe though you could use a mix of plain and wholewheat flour if you prefer.
My Top Tips*Always read the full recipe first. *Assemble all your ingredients and everything you need before you start. *For baking check the size of tins I’m using as this makes a big difference to your cakes. * I use medium sized eggs unless otherwise stated. * I use extra virgin olive oil unless otherwise stated. * I use unsalted butter unless otherwise stated. * Check out My Preserving Kit!
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On this side of the Atlantic, what we call "Irish soda bread" is more rich and sweet, usually studded with raisins and caraway seeds. These cakey, scone-like loaves often include eggs and butter for tenderness and more flavor.
The whole purpose of kneading bread dough is to form a network of gluten fibers. However, in soda bread where gluten is not needed, these filaments just make the bread tough. To avoid chewy bread, chose a low-protein (and therefore low-gluten) flour.
Irish Pub Fare: Pair the soda bread with classic pub fare such as shepherd's pie or bangers and mash. The hearty nature of the bread definitely belongs in the same 'comfort food' family as these dishes. Corned Beef and Cabbage: This bread is perfect alongside a traditional St.
The most traditional doneness test calls for thumping the hot bread in the center to hear if it's hollow-sounding. A more foolproof indication is temperature; the loaf will register 200°F to 205°F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted in the center of the bread.
Both types of bread use flour and contain refined carbohydrates. Sourdough bread would be considered healthier in the fact that it is a fermented food with lower gluten levels, making it easier to digest.
It's called Irish Soda Bread because it's made with baking soda instead of yeast. Because of this, it's more dense than your everyday white sandwich bread.
The oldest recipe for soda bread, widely syndicated from Ireland's Newry Times in 1836, says the dough was "as soft as could possibly be handled...the softer the better." Thirteen years and 180 miles down the road, the Waterford Times described it as "wetter than pie crust, too stiff to pour, but not stiff enough to ...
The original recipe, dating back to 1836, featured four simple ingredients: Flour, salt, (an acid to interact with the Soda), and Bicarbonate of Soda. The acid element initially involved dilute hydrochloric acid, but practicality led to the adoption of sour milk or buttermilk left from butter-making.
The Southern Irish regions bake their loaves in a classic round fashion and cut a cross on top of the bread. This was done for superstitious reasons, as families believed a cross on top of the bread would let the fairies out or ward off evil and protect the household.
A traditional full Irish breakfast comprises bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes, beans, soda bread or toast, tomatoes, mushrooms, and white or black pudding. For those wondering, black pudding coagulates the pig's blood into a sausage form. The white pudding is simply a pork sausage, usually flat.
If your Irish soda bread is too crumbly, it may be because you overmixed the dough. Another possibility is that your baking soda was expired and should be replaced. Make sure you are using the correct amount of baking soda in the recipe. Too much or too little can result in a crumbly loaf.
Soda bread is a variety of quick bread made in many cuisines in which sodium bicarbonate (otherwise known as "baking soda", or in Ireland, "bread soda") is used as a leavening agent instead of yeast. The basic ingredients of soda bread are flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk.
Irish soda bread has a couple of other names, too: When we attended a class at the famous Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork, Ireland, they made this loaf and called it a Spotted Dog. It's also called white soda bread, American Irish soda bread, or fruit soda bread.
In the United States, "Irish soda bread" generally means a somewhat sweet white bread made with eggs and butter and studded with raisins and caraway seeds — the "soda" in the name comes from the baking soda (or "bread soda" in Ireland) used to leaven it instead of yeast and kneading.
Irish Soda Bread is a quick bread that does not require any yeast. Instead, all of its leavening comes from baking soda and buttermilk. This Irish soda bread recipe is my grandmother's and has been cherished in my family for years. It's dense, yet soft and has the most incredible crusty exterior.
Introduction: My name is Merrill Bechtelar CPA, I am a clean, agreeable, glorious, magnificent, witty, enchanting, comfortable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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