Irish soda bread

(Serves 4)

1 tbsp lemon juice
230 ml milk (not skimmed)
300 g self-raising flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
60 g butter

Stir the lemon juice into the milk and leave it to stand for five minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Sift the flour, bicarb and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter. Make a well in the centre, pour in the milk and mix with a fork until you have a soft but not sticky dough. You may need to add a little more flour or a drop more milk to get the right consistency.

Turn it out on to a floured surface and knead lightly. Shape the dough into a ball, put it on a lightly floured baking tray and then flatten it slightly. Cut a large cross in the top with a sharp knife and bake for about 25 minutes, until the bread is browned and sounds hollow when you tap the bottom.

Soda bread is at its best eaten when served warm from the oven.