No Yeast Spelt Soda Bread with Chia Seeds (ready to eat in less than an hour)

picture of spelt soda bread in a skillet

 

This rustic spelt soda bread is packed with nutritious spelt flour and chia seeds and couldn’t be any simpler.

Regular readers will know I love my bread machine. I’ve even got a section on my blog for bread machine recipes. I hate kneading, you see, and a bread machine takes all that pesky stickiness and hard work out of the equation. The only drawback is that is is a long process. Sometimes you don’t want to wait hours for your bread fix. 

 

picture of spelt soda bread with eggs and red pepper

 

Soda bread makes a great brunch

I woke up one Sunday and really fancied a nice bit of bread and a boiled egg for brunch. The only thing on offer was mass-produced white sliced bread tucked away in the freezer for emergencies. I remembered watching a Jamie Oliver video about him making soda bread. No yeast, he’d said. Quick to make. And no kneading. Yes, it sound exactly what I was looking for. 

Soda bread has its modern day roots in Ireland (but was first eaten by native Americans), and history says that it first made an appearance in the 1830s. It’s apparently traditionally eaten around St Patrick’s Day, although I didn’t know that. Who cares though? Bread as simple and yummy as this should be eaten any time, surely?

 

Soda bread is so adaptable

I looked around at a few recipes and this spelt soda bread is a kind of mishmash of everyone else’s. It’s not traditional. Of course spelt flour (both wholemeal and white) needed to factor in the equation. I also decided to throw in some chia seeds because, well, why not?

 

picture of spelt soda bread with eggs and red pepper

 

I can’t tell you how easy and quick this was. It looked rustic (part of its undeniable charm) and tasted so good. It also rose higher than I’d expected, too. With no yeast or eggs, I wasn’t expecting a great rise, but that’s what I got.

I used a skillet because I love them. You don’t have to. A flat baking tray is all you need to make this. I did use a mixture of Greek yoghurt and milk as the liquid, but I’ve seen buttermilk in many recipes. I am sure you could get away with just milk, too. It feels like an easy-go-lucky kind of bread, if you ask me.

So, the end result? Did less time in the making result in less taste in the bread? Hell, no. It tasted amazing. Slightly dense but no more so than my other wholemeal breads. The chia seeds added a depth of flavour, but I am not sure it needed them.

I was seriously blown away by how quick and easy this was to make. Since making my first loaf, I’ve whipped up several more versions, each one just as good as the first. It’s great toasted, too. Check out my sweet version with cinnamon and raisins: 

 

 

If you’d like to find out more about soda bread, have a read of my wholemeal spelt soda bread post

 

Spelt Soda Bread (ready to eat in less than an hour)

Course Breakfast
Cuisine Irish
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 220g (1¾ cups) wholegrain spelt flour (see note 1)
  • 240g (2 cups) white spelt flour (see note 1)
  • 15g (1 tbs) chia seeds
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  • 200g (¾ cup + 1 tbs) Greek yoghurt
  • 250ml (1 cup) milk

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 200°C / 400℉. Grease a skillet (mine is 25cm / 10" across) or line an oven tray with baking paper.
  • Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the milk and Greek yoghurt together.
  • Add the wet to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. The dough should be slightly tacky but not too wet or too dry. Mould (or pat) into a round shape.
  • Place into the skillet and with the back of your hand, push the top down so it flattens slightly, and almost fills the skillet. Taking a large knife, score a deep cross on top of the dough, almost down to the bottom of the dough.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, until nice and golden. The bottom should sound hollow when tapped. Allow to cool for a while, then serve warm, topped with jam or egg.

Notes

 
  1. You can use any kind of flour in place of spelt (without any need to amend the specified amount). You can also choose to use all white flour, or to change the ratio of white/wholemeal flour however you like.
 
Disclaimer
I have converted grams to cups/ounces/tablespoons using online converters. Although I have no reason to believe they are inaccurate, please be aware that I have not made the recipe with imperial measurements.
In addition, many ingredients are different in Europe compared to North America. I do all I can to offer possible alternatives and to ensure the best possible outcomes for everyone. However, results cannot always be guaranteed if you have not used the same ingredients, measurements or methods as me.
Lastly, I do everything I can to ensure that my recipes (and instructions) are accurate and easy to follow. However, I am human, and don't always get it right. If you notice anything strange, a mistake, or even a typo, please let me know in the comments.
 
No Yeast Spelt Soda Bread with Chia Seeds (ready to eat in less than an hour)


1 thought on “No Yeast Spelt Soda Bread with Chia Seeds (ready to eat in less than an hour)”

Do you have a question or comment? I'd love to hear from you!