Photo of
Jonathan Trew
August 5, 2015

The Great British Bake Off will shortly be dusting off its apron and getting ready to rumble. Eggs will be whisked; dough kneaded and sugar spun into ever more elaborate sculptures.

Your finished bread should look like this.
Your finished bread should look like this.

All well and good. The 5pm Dining blog likes a nice Viennoiserie as much as the next man.

However, there are times when we crave something simpler. Like a crusty hunk of warm soda bread spread thick with butter.

Happily, our good chums at the Two Fat Ladies family of restaurants have recently shared their much sought after recipe for soda bread.

Even more happily, it’s pretty straight forward. You won’t require the sort of skills needed for a technical challenge to score top marks with this beaut:

Two Fat Ladies’ Soda Bread

Prep time: less than 30 mins

Cooking time: 40 mins

Ingredients (makes 2 loaves)

400g self raising flour

400g wholemeal flour

200g rolled oats (+ optional extra 50g for topping)

200g Demerara sugar

15g table salt

1 tablespoon bicarbonate of soda

450g milk

500ml natural yoghurt

Honey to glaze (optional)

Preparation method

Remember the wise words of Mary Berry: measure twice, bake once.
Remember the wise words of Mary Berry: measure twice, bake once.

Preheat oven to 165C.

Add flour, oats, sugar, salt and bicarbonate of soda into large mixing bowl and stir.

Create a well in the centre and add milk and yoghurt. Mix well with your fingers or large fork to form a soft dough.

Turn dough onto a well floured surface and knead briefly.

Form a round shape and place onto well floured baking tray. Add glaze and top with left over oats.

Make 4-8 deep cuts before placing in the oven and bake for 40 mins. Cool on a rack.

And that’s it ready to enjoy.

Black Fairy Lunch

While we have your attention, we would like to draw it to the annual Black Fairy Charity Lunch.

On Saturday 29th August, Two Fat Ladies play host to the annual Black Fairy Charity Lunch for the sixth year.

Founder Jeannie Rae, a former nurse, was undergoing radiotherapy after being diagnosed with breast cancer while her mother was losing her own battle with life. During this dark period Jeannie conjured up her fairy who has provided great comfort over the years.

Now with the help of Ryan James, Managing Director of Two Fat Ladies, they organise a charity lunch each year to help raise money for a chosen charity. This year all monies raised will be donated to Robin House Children’s Hospice in Balloch.

Contact Two Fat Ladies at The Buttery on 01412218188 to see how you can get involved.