There's nothing better than the taste and smell of home-made bread. Soda Bread is probably the easiest bread to make - simple and quick and does not require hours of proving. The addition of oats adds texture to the loaf and the fresh chives a delicious tangy flavour. This bread makes a wonderful accompaniment to soups and warming stews or served warm with dips, spreads, sliced meats and fish. Rather than using butter milk or yogurt this recipe uses creamy Oat Dream instead.

Ingredients

225ml/7 1/2 floz Oat Dream
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp honey or agave nectar
200g/7oz self-raising white flour
50g/1 3/4 oz wholemeal flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
50g/1 3/4 oz porridge oats
Handful of fresh chives, finely chopped

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, Gas mark 4.
2. Place the Oat Dream in saucepan and warm slightly.
3. Add the lemon juice and leave for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the honey.
5. Sift the flour into a bowl and add the bicarbonate of soda, porridge oats, salt and chives.
6. Stir well.
7. Pour in the oat dream and mix to form a soft dough.
8. Knead the bread on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes.
9. Shape into a round.
10. Let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes.
11. Use a sharp knife and score the top.
12. Bake the loaf in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow underneath when tapped.
13. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before cooling on a wire rack.
14. Slice to serve.

Nutrition

Per serving:

Calories 157kcal
Protein 3.9g
Carbohydrates 31.9g
of which sugars 6.1g
Fat 1.3g
of which saturates 0.1g
Salt 0.8g