Cheese & Herb Irish Soda Bread (small Batch)

 
I made some soup at the weekend and was wanting something hearty to enjoy along with it. You cannot beat a hot bowl of soup or stew in the winter months served with a tasty bread or roll.  I discovered this recipe on Pinterest, attributed to Simply Delicious Food and printed it out a few weeks back.
I am a huge fan of what is known as Quick Breads.  A Quick Bread is a type of bread which does not use Yeast as a rising agent. Usually, they use only Baking Powder or Baking Soda, or sometimes, both. 
Because you are not having to wait for them to rise like you would a yeast leavened bread, they are a lot quicker to make and easier as well, most of the time being only a matter of mixing dry and wet ingredients separately and then combining the two briefly.
Muffins are considered to be a quick bread, sweet or savory, as are soda breads such as this one, sweet and savory quick loaves, etc.  Banana bread, a favorite of many, is a sweet quick bread. Lovely with a hot cup of tea.

The Irish are well known for the soda breads.  I love a plain soda bread, or one with raisins or currants added.  This cheese and herb one is just as delicious and goes very well with savory types of dishes.
I did take the liberty of cutting her recipe in half to make a small-batch loaf, which makes only four delicious servings.  You can enjoy it on the day if you are a couple of empty nesters or a singleton like me and then enjoy the leftovers the day after.
Quick and easy to make. Rich and cheesy and low in fat, with a beautiful crust and texture. This recipe spells w-i-n-n-e-r all round!
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHEESE & HERB IRISH SODA BREAD
Aside from a few basic ingredients you also will need a3 QT oven-proof Dutch oven to bake the bread in.

• 2 cups (249.8g) unsifted plain all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup (250ml) buttermilk (or substitute, see notes)
• 1/2 large beaten egg (2 TBS/30g)
• 1/2 cup (60g) grated strong cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs chopped (I used parsley, sage and chives. You can use dry but use half the amount)

 
I usually use organic unbleached flour.  All purpose, plain.   Check your baking soda to make sure it is fresh by dropping some into a glass of warm water. If it fizzes, it's okay.  Since this is the only leavening in the recipe you need to make sure it is really fresh.
I have given you two means of substituting for buttermilk in the recipe notes.
I used a good strong cheddar. I used one which was dyed orange this time, but any good strong/sharp cheddar is ideal.
You can use dried herbs instead of fresh herbs if you wish. Just make sure that you only use half of the amount as you would if you were using fresh.
 
HOW TO MAKE HEESE & HERB IRISH SODA BREAD
Soda bread is a really quick and easy type of bread to make. Those Irish know what they are doing!

Preheat the oven to 365*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Have ready a 3 QT Dutch oven, which you have lined with baking parchment.Whisk the flour, salt, soda, cheese and herbs together in a bowl until well combined. Make a well in the center.Whisk the beaten egg and the buttermilk together to combine and then add all at once to the dry ingredients. Using a fork, pull everything together to make a sticky and soft shaggy dough. Do not over mix.

 
Transfer the dough into the prepared Dutch oven. Score the top with an "X" using a sharp knife. (To let the fairies out.)

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes. It will be risen and golden brown on the bottom and should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. A skewer inserted in the center should also come out clean.Leave to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into slices to serve. I like this spread with softened butter.

 
HINTS AND TIPS FOR QUICK BREAD SUCCESS
If you follow my hints and tips there is no reason why you can't bake a really great quick bread successfully!
1. Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature unless otherwise specified.
2. Use the best quality ingredients that you can afford and at your disposal.
3. Whisk all of the dry ingredients together in one bowl and your wet ingredients together in another bowl/beaker before combining together.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients together quickly and do not over mix. They need only be combined until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened without any large pockets or streaks of dry ingredients. 
5. Do not over combine the dough.  A light hand is preferable.  A few lumps are perfectly okay and quite acceptable. Over combining yields a tougher bake.
6. Spoon into your baking pan/tin as soon as possible after combining in order to gain the maximum lift from the leavening used.

This was a really delicious loaf of bread that went together quickly and easily. I enjoyed it along with some hot soup.  I took half of the loaf over to my next-door neighbor and she really enjoyed it as well.
I actually had a slice of it for breakfast this morning, the heel, and it was still really delicious. I just ate it as is without any butter.  Fabulous!
 
You just cannot beat whipping up a quick bread like this to serve with supper or lunch for that matter. Here are a few other favorites that we enjoy!
CHEESE & PEPPER BREAD - A tried and true from my Big Blue Binder.  It is a sturdy bread filled with plenty of cheese and speckled with coarse black pepper. It is simple to make and has a lovely peppery cheesy flavor!  Delicious.
QUICK BROWN BREAD -A moist and delicious whole wheat quick bread, sweetened with molasses that goes perfectly well with baked beans! This is an old family favorite. It would not be Saturday night baked beans without some of this tasty bread to serve alongside!
Yield: 4 servingsAuthor: Marie RaynerPrintWith ImageWithout Image

Cheese & Herb Irish Soda Bread

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 45 MinInactive time: 14 MinTotal time: 1 H & 9 MThis small batch recipe makes four servings and is delicious served with hearty soups or stews and is equally enjoyed all on its own with just butter. Quick and easy to make as well.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (249.8g) unsifted plain all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup (250ml) buttermilk (or substitute, see notes)
• 1/2 large beaten egg (2 TBS/30g)
• 1/2 cup (60g) grated strong cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs chopped (I used parsley, sage and chives. You can use dry but use half the amount)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 365*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Have ready a 3 QT Dutch oven, which you have lined with baking parchment.
2. Whisk the flour, salt, soda, cheese and herbs together in a bowl until well combined. Make a well in the center.
3. Whisk the beaten egg and the buttermilk together to combine and then add all at once to the dry ingredients. Using a fork, pull everything together to make a sticky and soft shaggy dough. Do not over mix.
4. Transfer the dough into the prepared Dutch oven. Score the top with an "X" using a sharp knife. (To let the fairies out.)
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes. It will be risen and golden brown on the bottom and should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. A skewer inserted in the center should also come out clean.
6. Leave to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into slices to serve. I like this spread with softened butter.

Notes

To make a buttermilk substitute use one of the following options:

1. Add 1 TBS lemon juice or vinegar to a measuring cup and fill to the desired measure. Leave for 5 minutes to clabber.
2. Whisk together equal parts of full fat plain yogurt and full fat milk. (In this case 125 ml/1/2 cup of each.)

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