Presidential Brown Bread

This recipe is one I've stolen from my mum. It's apparently the official brown bread of Áras an Uachtaráin, home of the president of Ireland. I've been making it quite a bit lately to bring into work with my homemade soup and it really is the perfect accompaniment. This recipe makes two loaves so I make two: use one and freeze the other for the next week. There's nothing like mum's bread!!

Presidential Brown Bread

(makes 2 loaves)

450g wholemeal flour

175g plain flour

Pinch of salt

Pinch of sugar

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

75g butter, softened

3 eggs, beaten

425-600ml buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 190ºC and line two loaf tins with baking paper. Sieve the flour, salt, sugar and bicarb. in a large bowl and mix to combine. (Or if you're lazy like me, just give it a good whisk!) Rub in the butter, then add the eggs and buttermilk (I usually use around 500ml) to make a wet mixture. Pour into your lined tines and bake for about 40 minutes. Leave to cool for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire wire rack.

Bacon Soda Bread

There is a baking ban in my mum's house. Both me and my sister would bake everyday if we could, but my mother has said 'no more' as she can't keep on eating everything we're making. But, clever little me found a loophole!! I made some bread, and then we can have it for lunch!

This bacon soda bread is another from The Great British Bake Off's newest cookbook. It's really quick and simple to make, no yeast or kneading needed, and it tastes delicious with just a little bit of butter. Perfect for lunch or supper over the Christmas holidays.

Bacon Soda Bread

(adapted from The Great British Bake Off Everyday)

4 rashers

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tbsp dried parsley

450g plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp salt

25g unsalted butter, chilled and diced

350ml buttermilk

Chop the rashers into thin strips using a kitchen scissors. Fry in the pan over a low-medium heat until starting to colour. Add the shallot and parsley and continue to fry until the shallot turns golden. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Preheat the oven to 220ºC and line and flour a baking sheet. Sift the flour, bicarb and salt into a bowl. Add in the butter and rub together until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in the bacon and shallots. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Mix everything together to make a soft and sticky dough. You make need to add a little bit more buttermilk if it does not come together. Lightly dust a worktop with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Shape the dough into a ball and place on the baking tray. Using a table knife, make a deep cross on the top of the dough and dust with flour. Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the bread makes a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.