Protein Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

• 400 g plain flour 
• 165 g lupin flour
• 2 – 3 tbsp flour for dusting
• 1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 435g full cream milk
• 15g lemon juice or vinegar

Method

Add the lemon juice/vinegar to the milk, mix, and allow to settle (about 15mins)

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220C (or 200 fan forced).

Mix together the dry ingredients.

When the milk mixture is ready and the oven is up to temperature, add the milk to the dry ingredients. You need to get from this step to putting the dough in the oven in as short a time as possible, as the bicarbonate of soda starts working as soon as the milk mixture hits it.

Stir until combined and stiff. Turn it onto a floured surface, and knead 8 times or less, to get it into a flattened ball shape. The less kneading the better. With a sharp knife, cut a cross in the top of the dough and place it in the oven. Traditionally the cross is said to ward off the devil and to protect the household. However, more prosaically, slashing the dough lets heat penetrate into the thickest part of the bread and allows the bread to stretch and expand as it rises.

Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 200C (180C fan-forced) for another 20 minutes. If the bottom of the loaf sound hollow when tapped, it’s ready.