JAMIE OLIVER'S SODA BREAD

Jamie Oliver’s Soda Bread using his tin can method is so easy, children could definitely manage it and it’s delicious!

INGREDIENTS 

Use an old baked bean tin as a measure.

1 tin of wholemeal flour.
1 tin of plain white flour.
A handful of oats.

1 teaspoon of honey or sugar (optional).
1 teaspoon of salt.
2 teaspoons of baking powder or bicarbonate of soda

(or omit and use self raising flour). 
1 tin of milk or buttermilk

(or add a squeeze of lemon to plain milk; or alternatively yoghurt, or a mix of milk and yoghurt). 
Workarounds are as per Jamie’s suggestions

METHOD

Mix dry ingredients then add milk, mix using the handle end of a wooden spoon then use your hands to bring together. The dough will be quite wet and sticky.  

Knead briefly on a floured surface, shape into a round, place on a floured baking tray, glaze with a little olive oil, butter or beaten egg, cut a cross nearly all the way through the dough and dust with porridge oats.

Bake at 200c for about 20 minutes until golden. When cooked it should sound hollow when tapped on the base. 

The dough can be stored covered overnight in the refrigerator to be baked the following day. 

You can also use the tin to cut out individual scone type rolls but they won’t take as long to bake. 

Jamie's son Buddy helped him on the live streamed video. On this video Jamie also shows some other things you can make with the same dough. 

https://www.facebook.com/jamieoliver/videos/2836723173049568

EGGY BREAD / FRENCH TOAST / ROLL UPS

We never really had French Toast in our house, or "Eggy Bread" as we call it over here.  I remember seeing it for the first time in Kramer v Kramer.  I have since become quite fond of it though, not necessarily for breakfast but for when I crave something sweet and don't want to go to the trouble of making pancakes.. I find the taste is quite similar.  It's also a great way of using up stale bread.

Plain French Toast is just bread dipped both sides in beaten egg thinned with a little milk (or water if you've no milk in), then fried in butter until golden brown.  It's up to you what you do with it thereafter.   You can make it savoury or sweet...

INGREDIENTS
2 Slices of Bread
1 Egg
2 Dessert Spoons Milk
1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract (optional)
Knob of Butter
Drop of Vegetable Oil (this stops the butter from burning)

METHOD
Soak the bread slices in the eggy mixture for 5 minutes a side
Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan
Fry the egg-soaked bread until golden on both sides

VARIATION - ROLL UPS
Cut the crusts off the bread slices
With a rolling pin flatten the bread slices
Spread filling of your choice
Roll up the bread as tightly as you can into a sausage shape
Soak in the egg mixture on all sides
Cook as above

SERVING IDEAS
Savoury
Serve on it's own or with bacon

Make a sandwich with..
     Cheese
     Cheese and Ham
     Cheese and Tomato
     Cheese and Onion
Press sandwich together to help it hold, soak in the egg mixture, fry on both sides

Tip.. finely grate the cheese and mix with a little mayonnaise to make a spread

Make roll ups filled with any savoury filling as above

Sweet
After cooking dredge with..
     Sugar
     Sugar and a little Lemon Juice
     Icing Sugar
     Cinnamon Sugar (a little cinnamon mixed with sugar)
     Golden Syrup
     Maple Syrup

Or top with Marmalade!  A favourite of mine, acquired during my time at boarding school, is fried bread and marmalade… trust me it's delicious!  Topping Eggy Bread with Marmalade is pretty good too.

Make roll ups filled with..
     Peanut Butter
     Nutella / Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
     Jam
     Lemon Curd
     Thinly sliced Banana*
     Thinly sliced Strawberries*

*Don't overfill with fruit or have the slices too thick or you'll have trouble rolling them up. When you put them into the egg mixture to soak, put the side with the join at the bottom so that it soaks up the egg mixture first.. it helps to seal the join.

After cooking dredge with any of the above toppings, sugar, syrup etc.
If desired top with Cream / Crème fraîche / Yoghurt

Filling the Roll Up with Strawberry Jam and dredging in Sugar after cooking tastes remarkably like a Jam Doughnut!  You can also cut the Roll Ups into bite sized portions so that you can eat them with your fingers.

Enjoy!