Spelt Soda Bread Recipe

Does anyone else ever wish they were Meryl Streep as Jane Alder in 'It's Complicated'? Baking warm chocolate croissants at midnight? Making lavender ice cream, feeling totally sexy sitting in the bathtub eating it?

Last night at 11:30, I decided I really wanted to master this bread recipe. Did someone say challenge? Because I really like a good challenge. In attempt to master my own bread recipe and embody Jane Alder,I ventured to Coles last night at 11:30 and picked up an absolute array of ingredients I thought I could use, trying to be quick enough not to get locked inside Coles (I say this like I wouldn't be in heaven if it did happen).

Rice flour, xantham gum (yes, they sell this at Coles now!), baking powder, spelt flour, bicarb of soda, yeast, brown rice flour, chia seeds, coconut oil, flaxseed meal, almond flour, coconut flour, wholemeal flour, gluten free bread kits, butter, eggs, vinegar, almond milk, egg replacement, you. name. it.

After several unsuccessful attempts, a couple of 'just edible' attempts, as I like to call them, a batch full of 'nearly there but not quite right' attempts, I passed out at 2:30am, only to wake up in the morning to create two successful loaves of spelt flour bread. This bread is wheat free, however not gluten free but went perfectly well with the sugar free Nutella Abbie and I made earlier in the day.

The recipe below is my take on 'Irish Soda Bread'. And the other recipe? You'll just have to wait for our ebook! I would love to know what your thoughts are on this bread and any adjustments that you make- bread is such a hit or miss I think and I am so intrigued about the different substitutes that could be made so would love any feedback.

Spelt Soda Bread

• 1 1/2 cups spelt flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup of butter milk 
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarb of soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

tip: if you don't have buttermilk in your pantry (which I never do), take 1 cup of milk and add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and leave it to sit for 10 minutes. The consistency will become similar to that of butter milk and is more than fine for this recipe

1. In a large bowl, mix your dry ingredients. 

2. Make a well in the center of the bowl and with a fork, mix through your buttermilk.

3. Move the dough to a floured surface and knead gently for 30 seconds. As you as using spelt flour, you don't need to knead bread like you would with normal flour. 

4. Shape the dough into a ball and place on a lined tray in the oven for 35 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. 

5. Allow to cool. 

This bread is so quick and easy to make, crunchy on the outside yet not too dense on the inside.