Quick Stilton & Walnut Soda Bread

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 180C / 355F and cover a baking tray with baking paper
2. Tip the walnuts into a bowl and crumble over the Stilton. Mix well
3. Tip the plain and wholemeal flour into a large bowl, add the bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix well. Then mix in the Stilton and walnuts
4. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk. The buttermilk will start reacting with the bicarbonate of soda right away and this is what makes the bread rise, so you need to work quickly here and make sure your oven is ready
5. Use a wooden spoon to gently mix in the buttermilk to form a soft dough. If it is too dry and there are crumbs left in the bottom of the bowl, add more buttermilk or milk one tablespoon at a time. If the mixture is too sticky, add a tablespoon of wholemeal flour
6. Sprinkle wholemeal flour over a flat surface, tip the mixture out of the bowl and shape it into a ball. The more you handle the dough, the tougher the bread will be, so be as gentle as possible
7. Place the ball on the baking sheet, cut a deep cross into the top of it, and lightly dust with flour
8. Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden-brown and cooked through - it should sound hollow when tapped on the base
9. Remove from the oven, cool on a wire rack and enjoy