Fig, rosemary and fennel soda bread
Like a large slice of scone, this fig, rosemary and fennel soda bread is so crumbly, soft and moreish, you'll eat a loaf in a day. Best served with lots of cheese and butter.
Servings: 1 loaf
Ingredients
- 125 g dried figs
- 300 g plain flour
- 150 g wholegrain rye flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 450 ml buttermilk use shop-bought buttermilk rather than make your own as homemade gives you excess liquid
- 2 tsp honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C/350°F fan and line a baking tray with parchment.
- Cut off the woody end of the dried figs and chop each into quarters.
- Sift the flours and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Add the salt, fennel seeds, finely chopped rosemary and black pepper. Mix everything together, then add the figs and mix again.
- Make a well in the centre. In a jug, combine the buttermilk and honey, then pour into the flour well. Mix the liquid into the dry with a wooden spoon, making a wet dough. Bring everything together then tip it out onto a floured work surface.
- Lightly knead the dough to bring it into a ball then transfer it to the lined tray and dent a cross in the surface using a wooden spoon’s handle.
- Slide the tray into the oven and bake the soda bread for 30-35 minutes, until the loaf is golden and has expanded like a balloon. Turn the loaf upside down on the tray, tap it to make sure it sounds hollow, then bake it this way round for another five minutes. Leave to cool on a cooling rack then serve.