Buckwheat and Rye Soda Bread

Soda bread is an unyeasted bread that uses bicarbonate of soda for leavening and is quick to make. The chemical reaction between the bicarbonate of soda and the yoghurt and milk makes the batter rise. This version uses cooked buckwheat which gives the bread a grainy texture and a flavour similar to pumpernickel. I usually cook the buckwheat in advance and let it go cold, however, the cooked grain only needs to cool a little and can then be mixed up into the loaf. The recipe can be altered to use all whole meal flour. Cooked oats can be substituted for the buckwheat. Delicious with smoked salmon, cheese or lightly buttered and with soup. 

Small rolls can be made by cooking the batter in muffin tins, reduce the cooking time.

Buckwheat and Rye Soda Bread

1 1/2 cups cooked buckwheat (3/4 cup uncooked)

60 g melted butter

1/2 cup plain yoghurt

1/2 cup milk ( maybe a little more)

1 tablespoon brown sugar 

1 cup rye flour

1 1/2 cups whole meal flour

1 1/2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Method

Place buckwheat in a pan of boiling water and cook for twenty minutes. Drain.

Combine cooked buckwheat, melted butter, yoghurt, milk and sugar in a mixing bowl. 

Stir in the salt, bicarbonate of soda and flours. Add a little extra milk if necessary, the batter should be soft.

Spoon into a greased and lined loaf tin or large muffin tins.

Bake at 200 deg C for twenty minutes, reduce heat to 180 deg C for a further twenty to thirty minutes or until cooked and skewer comes out clean.

Place cooked loaf on a cooling rack and allow to cool.