Irish Soda Bread

This bread is my favourite.  I make it every weekend.  My boyfriend loves it.  He has also made it himself to some success.  This is the man who burns toast regularly.  It really is so so easy.  

Ingredients

250g wholemeal flour (have some extra for dusting)
250g plain flour (have some extra for dusting)
1tsp baking soda
1tsp salt
400ml whole milk 
1tbsp white vinegar

Method

1.  Preheat the oven to 200°C
2.  Measure out the milk, and drop in the tablespoon of vinegar.  Leave to curdle.  Or if you are as grumpy as me in the mornings just look at the milk, it should curdle.  Just joking.  Use the vinegar.
3.  Mix up all the dry ingredients then add the now gloopy milk.
4.  Mix and combine the ingredients by hand.
5.  Drop out onto a floured surface (plain flour).  The mixture may seem very wet but cover it in the flour.  Do not knead this mixture just create a fat ball and drop onto a lined baking tray.
6.  Now you must let the devil out!  Cut a deep cross in your pretty ball, say 3/4 of the way down and sprinkle over some wholemeal flour.  And place in the oven.
7.  Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until a tester comes out clean.  TIP: Place another baking tray or oven proof dish with some water in the oven.  The steam will stop the crust being too hard.  

I love this bread, it goes great with eggs and bacon.  With some butter and cheese.  With soup and so on.  It is versatile and tasty.  Or you can slice it thickly and make my dad's speciality soda bread pizza, this is especially nice when the bread is a day or two old.