Bread is one of the easiest things you can make at home, as it often requires very few ingredients. But having said that, it can take hours to prepare, as you need to wait for the dough to prove.
This process is what gives bread its perfectly light and fluffy texture. However, not every loaf requires this, meaning these options are a lot quicker to make.
And according to top TV chef Paul Hollywood, there’s one specific type of bread that is the ‘quickest ever’ to prepare, taking just 20 minutes to do so. Despite this though, fans say it’s ‘divine’, with many saying how often they come back to this simple recipe.
The Great British Bake Off judge’s recipe for Irish soda bread was originally posted on YouTube two years ago, but he recently took to TikTok to remind viewers how easy it is to whip up.
He noted that there’s no proving time to factor in because the bread doesn’t contain any yeast – which is the ingredient that creates the tiny bubbles of air and make the dough rise. However, by using bicarbonate of soda and buttermilk, it creates a similar effect but a lot faster.
Putting a tastier twist on the classic, Paul added cheese and onion to his soda bread, which fans on YouTube say makes it the ‘best’ recipe ever. Here’s everything you need to make it in just 20 minutes.
Cheese and onion soda bread
Ingredients
- 100g wholemeal flour
- 400g plain white flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 100g parmesan
- Half an onion, sauteed
- 150g grated cheddar
- 400ml buttermilk
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220C or 200C fan. Put the two kinds of flour into a large bowl, then add the bicarbonate of soda, salt, and half of the parmesan cheese. Add the sauteed onion and the grated cheddar and give it a good mix around.
- Pour in the buttermilk and stir again before using your hands to blend the ingredients together. Add a splash of water if you find the mixture is too dry.
- Once the mixture resembles a rough-looking dough, tip it out on to your floured surface and start to shape it. Divide it into two, rolling and flattening each one with your hand a couple of times before making a ball shape and tucking the edges under.
- Wet your hands slightly and pat each piece of dough before placing it face-down in the remaining parmesan cheese.
- Cut a cross shape down the middle of each loaf, pop on a baking tray and place in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Allow to cool fully before you eat them – Paul suggests serving with more cheese and butter.