Lilly Higgins shares her basic cooking skills
Ingredients
- 450 g (1lb) plain flour
- 1 tsp bread soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 350 ml buttermilk
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220C. Dust a heavy baking tray with flour.
- In a large bowl sieve the bread soda with the flour and salt.
- Make a well in the centre. Add the buttermilk. Use your hands or a round bladed knife to bring the dough together until it is craggy and soft.
- Wash your hands. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and shape into a round loaf, patting gently as you turn it.
- Lift gently onto the baking tray. Using a sharp knife score a cross shape onto the loaf.
- Bake immediately for 20 minutes, lower the oven to 200 and bake for a further 20 minutes until golden and risen, the base should sound hollow when tapped.
Notes
Lilly's tips: This basic dough can be transformed by adding 100g sultanas, chocolate chips or use half wholemeal flour. You could also add finely chopped herbs for a savoury bread to serve with soup
