OK, more details, as requested.
Firstly, I have to admit that it is easier to create the soda bread in the oven, so if you are already due to use your oven, I'd still advise you to bake the bread that way - the crust is better! Oven at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and bake for 30 minutes.... then check. Tap the base and if it sounds hollow, it's done!
However, if you fancy trying the griddle method, there are many ways to skin a cat..... I'll let you know mine!
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First the recipe..... the same for griddle or oven. Keep it simple, this is peasant food
300g wholemeal flour
150g plain white flour
300ml whole milk
1 tsp sodium bicarbonate/baking soda (NOT baking powder!)
1 tsp salt (to taste)
1 knob of softened butter (optional)
Lemon juice (fresh or concentrate)
First measure out your whole (full fat) milk. You can replace part with plain yoghurt if you wish. Add about 1tsp lemon juice and set aside. After 5 minutes check it, if it has gone thick and appears soured, you're good to go... otherwise add a drop more lemon and repeat. The milk
MUST be soured for soda bread to work.... the lactic (and citric) acid activates the soda - no acid, no rise!
Then measure the flour and the soda and salt (and butter if used) into a bowl. If you use all wholemeal flour, the loaf will be far heavier, without any great increase in texture or flavour (IMO).
Slowly add your soured milk and stir the flour mixture to incorporate it. The result will be a very sticky mixture, so be close to the sink!! When fully incorporated, the dough should be soft, but solid.... set it aside.
After a few minutes, flour a board and your hands (
VITAL!) then pull the dough from your mixing bowl. slap it onto the floured board and form it into a ball... if it is too sticky, you need more flour on your board/hands. You should end up with a ball of dough that is solid enough to stand, but still soft.
There is no need for kneading (in fact this can make the final bread denser in texture). Just flatten the ball and flour a knife to cut a cross deep into it. That's all your prep!..... easy!!
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If you are using an oven, put the dough on a baking tray, cover with foil and off you pop. 200/180C for 30 minutes. (remove the foil for the last 5 minutes or so).
If you want to use the griddle method, here's my way....
a) Put a lidded cast-iron pan over a low heat for 5 minutes - I find using an old-fashioned heat-spreader avoids hot-spots.
b) Take two 8" cake tins (2" deep, plain sided). Put some baking parchment in the base of one. Put the dough into the tin. put more parchment on top and place the second tin as a "lid". Put that into the cast-iron pot and put the lid over it.
c) Leave for 7-8 minutes (if no smell of burning). Remove the cake tins, put them on a rack and remove the "lid". The dough should now have a solid skin at the bottom. Flip the tins, so the lid becomes the base and VV. If the parchment is badly scorched, reduce the heat. Put the tins back in the cast-iron pan and cover for another 7 minutes.
d) Remove the tins to a rack again and flip and check the bread. It should now feel soft (and hot!) but solid. If not, replace and try again it a couple of minutes.
e) Switch off the heat, so it's just the residual heat from the cast-iron pan. Flip the tins again and return to the pan. Leave for 4-5 minutes then flip the tins again. Leave for another few minutes (this isn't time critical..... it's just residual heat drying the inside now.
f) Take out the tins and flip the loaf onto a rack.... tap the base and it should sound hollow - if not return to the tins/pan (and you might need a low heat
).
g) When it seems "done" Cover the bread on the rack with a slightly damp tea-towel (this avoids the crust over hardening). Eat when cool enough to cut (but it gets better with time!!).
That's it - I think I got it all, but if I forgot anything I'll edit this later.
TIPS - keep a keen nose..... if there's any burning smell, flip the tins/bread and reduce the heat because it will be the parchment catching. A little is no problem, but too much will make the crust taste burned. The problem with the griddle method is that you have no temperature control, so it's down to judgement, trial and error. But I didn't get an inedible loaf yet!!
NB People insist on using buttermilk... it's nice but not necessary - what you need is soured milk, for the acid. The salt I leave to you, too little and the bread tasted bland, too much...... well it'll be salty!! People add honey and all sorts of things to the mix.... not traditional and a matter of taste (and possibly ruining the bread!)
Good luck.
), I have been trying to develop a griddle-based loaf.... harking back to the old days when bread was baked over the turf fire....
