Booths delicious soda bread recipe

Pears are a wonderful treat and they are bang in season as we leave summer behind and head into autumn. This recipe from Booths uses seasonal pears, salty prosciutto and tangy blue cheese to make a delicious soda bread, perfect with some warming soup as the nights draw in.

Ingredients

300g plain flour

200g wholemeal flour

1tsp salt

One-and-a-half tsp bicarbonate of soda

200g Pears, grated

100g blue cheese, diced

50g prosciutto, diced

200ml milk

200g plain yoghurt

1tsp honey

1 tbsp wholemeal flour to sprinkle on top

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (fan)/425°F/gas mark 7. Combine the plain and wholemeal flours, salt and bicarbonate of soda. Then add the grated pear, blue cheese and prosciutto and stir well.

2. Separately mix the milk, yoghurt and honey together. Make a well in the centre of the dry mixture and add the wet mixture, stir to combine.

3. Line a 2lb loaf tin with baking paper and spoon in the mixture.

4. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with one tablespoon of wholemeal flour and bake in a pre-heated oven for 45-50 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing from the tin and slicing.

Chef’s Tip – This loaf makes a great accompaniment to a bowl of soup served warm and spread with butter. To make this loaf vegetarian, swap the diced prosciutto for chopped walnuts.

Why not raise a glass to the cape of good cheer?