Teff and Brown Rice are gluten free and pastry flour has a lower gluten content than strong bread flour. I wanted to reduce my families gluten consumption without opting for a full gluten free bread and I also thought it would be interesting to incorporate flours that weren't wheat based. Soda bread doesn't depend on gluten for rising as it uses bicarbonate so is particularly well suited to gluten free flours. The pastry flour produces a bread which is softer and more crumbly than strong bread flour and the rice flour adds a short element. Teff has a mild but rich flavour and produces a bread with a striking chocolate colour!

Ingredients

50g Brown Teff
50g Wholemeal Pastry flour
50g Brown Rice flour
50g White Pastry flour
110ml of any milk, I use soya
20ml lemon juice
6 g bicarbonate

Makes about a 350 g loaf. Image shows one of the quarters cut in half.

Method

Combine milk and lemon juice and set aside to curdle. Room temperature milk is best.

Combine dry ingredients.

Quickly mix in the milk and lemon juice, adding a few drops of water as needed.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and make a round about 20 cm wide and 2 cm high, cut into quarters. Depending on the size of your pan the round can be made flatter or fatter but don't make it too thick if you want to cook the bread quickly.

Cook on the hob in a lightly floured pan on a medium heat. A glass lid is helpful as you can see the bread starting to rise and a bit of condensate forming, it's then time to turn the bread. It forms a slightly crispy shell and sounds hollow when tapped. Once you see further rising and more moisture the bread is done, it should sound hollow on both sides. It takes about 3-5 minutes each side. If you want a fatter bread then reduce heat to cook the middle without burning the outside and increase cooking time.

The resulting bread is very rustic in style and dense. Best frozen if you don't intend to eat the same day. Delicious split in half and lightly toasted.