Soda Bread.
Mine is the best recipe in the world. Don't listen to anyone else - I was taught by the master!:-
Proper Soda Bread
4 cups of plain flour
4 table spoons of white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups of margarine (softened)
1 cup of buttermilk (ordinary milk will do but it?s not as nice!)
1 egg
Chuck everything into a big mixing bowl EXCEPT the buttermilk and egg!
Give it a good old mix up and rub the margarine in. Be a bit rough with it ? this is not a bread that needs careful handling!
Whisk the egg and mix it with the butter milk. Throw it into the dry ingredients and give it another good mix.
If it?s a bit sticky, add some more flour.
Turn out on to a lightly floured surface. Kneed it for a short while ? three verses of Danny Boy should be long enough!
Shape into a round and use a knife to mark a cross shape on the top ? this is very important. It?s an auld Oirish tradition and if you don?t put the cross on the top, sure da leprechaun?s will be hopping mad and put a curse on yer bread, rendering it useless!
Place onto a baking tray, middle or lower shelf and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 C for about ¾ hour. Make brew and watch daytime TV whilst bread is cooking?.you just made your own bread, sure you?ve done enough work for today!
Slice when cool (it tastes better the following day ? don?t know why!) and serve to your family and friends, letting them believe it took you ages to bake and only a master chef could make it taste any more gorgeous!