This delicious soda bread is a far cry from many of the crumbly, dry, gluten-free offerings that are available to buy for coeliacs.

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

275g rice flour

110g tapioca flour

50g dried milk

1 scant level tsp bicarbonate of soda, sieved

1 heaped tsp gluten-free baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 heaped tsp xanthan gum

2 tsp caster sugar

1 egg, preferably free range, lightly beaten

300-350ml buttermilk, approximately

Preheat the oven to 230°C/gas mark 8.

Sift all the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Mix them well by lifting them up into your hands and then letting them fall back into the bowl through your fingers. This adds more air and therefore hopefully more lightness to your finished bread.

Lightly whisk the egg and buttermilk together. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in most of the egg and buttermilk at once. Using one hand, with your fingers stiff and outstretched like a claw, stir in a full circular movement from the centre to the outside of the bowl in ever-increasing circles, adding a little more buttermilk if necessary. The dough should be softish, not too wet and sticky.

The trick with white soda bread is not to over-mix the dough. Mix it as quickly and as gently as possible thus keeping it light and airy.

When the dough all comes together, turn it out onto a rice-floured work surface. Wash and dry your hands. With rice-floured fingers, roll the dough lightly for a few seconds – just enough to tidy it up. Pat it into a round, pressing to about 5cm in height.

Place the dough on a baking tray dusted lightly with rice flour. With a sharp knife, cut a deep cross in it, letting the cuts go over the sides of the bread. Prick with a knife four times – according to folklore, this is to let the fairies out!

Bake for five minutes, then reduce the heat to 180°C/gas mark 4 for a further 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked. If in doubt, tap the bottom of the bread: if it is cooked it will sound hollow.

Serve freshly baked, cut into thick slices and smeared with butter and homemade jam.

Note: This soda bread is best served the
day it is made. However, it tastes lovely toasted the next day. If there is any bread left over, I whizz it in a food processor and keep the gluten-free breadcrumbs in the freezer for a future use.

Variations

» spotted dog

Spotted Dog is also called railway cake in some parts of the country, "a currant for each station".

Follow the master recipe, adding 110g sultanas to the dry ingredients. Serve with butter and raspberry jam – it is also delicious eaten with cheese.

» white soda bread with herbs

Follow the master recipe, adding one or two tablespoons of freshly chopped herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme, chives, parsley or lemon balm) to the dry ingredients.

» seedy bread

If you like caraway seeds this is a must – delicious served for afternoon tea. Follow the master recipe, adding a tablespoon of sugar and two or three teaspoons of caraway seeds to the dry ingredients.