Guinness, Cheese & Spring Onion Soda Bread

This is exactly the sort of bread I love to bake when I want something comforting, quick, and properly satisfying without spending all day in the kitchen. Soda bread is such a brilliant thing to have up your sleeve because there’s no yeast proving and no complicated steps — just a simple mix, a quick shape, and straight into the oven. In this version, the Guinness brings a lovely malty depth, the cheese gives it that rich savoury bite, and the spring onions lift everything with a gentle freshness that works beautifully through the crumb. Rolled oats on the outside give it a rustic finish and a bit of extra texture too. It’s the kind of loaf that feels right at home on a winter table, especially served warm with a hearty beef stew, a bowl of soup, or just a good spread of butter.

Timings:

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25–30 minutes

Serves: 6–8

Ingredients:

• 350g self-raising flour

• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper

• 1 bunch spring onions, chopped

• 100g grated cheese

• 140ml Guinness

• 100g buttermilk

• 70g rolled oats

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.

2. Add the self-raising flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and white pepper to a mixing bowl and stir together.

3. Add the chopped spring onions and grated cheese, then mix again.

4. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the Guinness and buttermilk.

5. Using a metal spoon, stir everything together to form a soft dough.

6. Scatter the rolled oats over a clean work surface.

7. Turn the dough out onto the oats and shape it into a round loaf, allowing the oats to stick to the outside.

8. Transfer the loaf to a non-stick baking tray.

9. Using a sharp knife, cut a cross into the centre of the dough about 1cm deep.

10. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

11. Leave to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Chef’s Tip:

Try not to overmix the dough once the liquid goes in. Soda bread likes a gentle hand, and the less you work it, the softer and lighter the final loaf will be. It’s best eaten fresh on the day it’s baked, preferably still a little warm.