Cheddar And Herbs Soda Bread

The romance of winters is fading away.  The colours of late spring are incredible, bright and bold. The sweet scent of lavender suffuses the air and is calming in temperament. Sunbirds and Oriental white eye travel from flower to flower sucking rich nectar to heart’s content. Fields are lush and a contrast to the cloudless sky and the twain meet at the horizon.

It seemed to be a day of parrots yesterday.

 We saw hoards of them in the fields and on the trees.

My  son thought the parrots were growing on the  trees

Yesterday, we baked Cheddar and Herbs Soda Bread.

Cheesy, buttery, soft and delicious. Cheddar cheese bread is easy to bake.

It is ideal to bake when planning a quick meal. Serve it with soup or stews. Slather butter or jam and enjoy in breakfast. Or, enjoy just plain with tea.

Cheddar  and Herbs Soda Bread

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 25 Gms butter (room temperature)
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon mixed herbs
• 1 ¼ cup buttermilk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
2. Place a parchment sheet on the baking tray. Dust with flour.
3. Whisk together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, herbs and salt in a large bowl.
4. Add butter. Reserve one tablespoon grated cheese and add the rest. Mix well with hands. Mix till the mixture looks like crumbs.
5. Add sugar to buttermilk. Stir until sugar dissolves.
6. Add liquid ingredients to flour mixture. Mix quickly until dough becomes shaggy, wet and sticky. Turn it out onto a floured counter and start to knead.
7. The chemical reaction of baking soda with buttermilk will start as soon as they meet. Knead only for a minute. As soon as the dough seems to come together, shape it.
8. Flatten the lump of dough to a circle of about 6-8 inches in diameter.
9. With floured hands, transfer dough to the prepared baking tray. 
10. Make a cross with a sharp knife. The cuts should go halfway down through the sides of the circle of dough.
11. Bake at 220 degrees for 20 minutes. Lower temperature to 180 degrees C. Sprinkle the reserved  cheese on the bread and bake for 15 minutes.
12. By the end of baking time, the bread should have turned golden and the cheese would have browned. Tap the bottom of the bread. A hollow sound means that it is done.
13. Remove from the oven and cool on the rack, Slice when cold.

My Tip -Dough becomes very sticky. Flour your counter and handle the dough with floured hands. You may add extra cheese and herbs for a greater flavour.

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Our host this month is Wendy Klik who blogs at  A Day In the Life on the farm.   Do check her blog for lovely bakes and recipes.
You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to [email protected].

Here is a list of the lovely breads baked by the members of the group

Apple, Beer, and Cheddar Soda Bread by A Baker's House 

Blaa by Sara's Tasty Buds 

Caraway Rye Soda Bread by  A Salad For All Seasons

Carrot and Dillisk Bread by A Shaggy Dough Story

Cheddar and Herbs Soda Bread by Ambrosia 

Cranberry and Poppy Seed Irish Bread by kidsandchic 

Currant Drop Scones by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Four leaf Clover Rolls by Cook's Hideout 

Guinness Bread Rolls by The Bread She Bakes  

Guinness Buckwheat Bread by Baking Sense 

Irish Amber Ale Pretzels by Cindy's Recipes and Writings 

Irish Barmbrack by The Schizo Chef 

Irish Freckle Bread by  Mayuri's Jikoni 

Irish Freckle Bread by Passion Kneaded 

Irish Multigrain Bread by What Smells So Good? 

Irish Raisin Tea Scones by Gayathri's Cook Spot 

Irish Soda Bread by Herbivore Cucina

Irish Soda Bread by Sneha's Recipe 

Irish Soda Bread Scones by Spill the Spices

Irish Soda Buttermilk Bread by Sizzling Tastebuds 

Irish Soda Farls by Food Lust People Love

Oat and Potato Bread by Karen's Kitchen Stories 

Potato Clover Leaf Rolls by Spiceroots 

Soft Wheat Irish Soda Scones with Raisins (Spotted Dog) by The Wimpy Vegetarian 

Super Easy Potato Roll Recipe by  Hostess At Heart