Irish Soda Bread

Easy and delicious. Didn't think you could make bread? Thought you needed a bread maker or had to deal with yeast and complicated rising schedules? Not for this bread. Try it. You'll love it!

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
  
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups butter milk (+ save a little extra to the side)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 450 deg.
2. Put the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and mix well with a whisk.
3. Make a well in the middle of the flour.
4. Pour your buttermilk into the well.
5. Combine with a spoon until it gets too thick.
6. Switch to mixing with your hands and continue until you have a nice firm dough. If your dough is very dry and doesn't form a nice ball, add a little extra buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead well before adding your next Tbsp. to be sure you don't overdo it.
7. Form your dough into a round disk approximately 1 1/2 inches thick.
8. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
9. Bake it in the oven at 450 deg. for 15 minutes
10. Reduce the temperature to 400 deg. and continue baking for 25-30 minutes. If your bread starts to look too brown, loosely cover with aluminum foil.
11. Once it's cooled, store it in a plastic bag in the fridge.