Rustic Country Loaf

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 1/2 cups plain flour
• 2 1/2 cups wholemeal flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 190°c sprinkle a teaspoon of the plain flour over the centre of a baking tray and set aside. put 2 teaspoons of plain flour into a small bowl and set bowl aside.
• 2 meanwhile, put the remaining plain flour, wholemeal flour, baking soda and salt into a large bowl and mix well with your hands to combine.
• 3 add the butter, breaking it up into small pieces with your fingers, and mix it into the flour mixture until combined.
• 4 make a well in the centre of the flour-butter mixture and add the buttermilk.
• 5 slowly add the buttermilk into the mixture with your hands until a rough ball forms.
• 6 turn the mixture out on a lightly floured surface and form into a neat ball (without kneading).
• 7 transfer the dough to the centre of the baking tray and press gently to form a 20cm-wide round.
• 8 using a sharp knife, slash a cross 1cm deep across the entire top of the loaf and then dust the top of the loaf with the reserved flour.
• 9 bake until the bread is light golden and a tap on the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow, about 60 minutes. n.b. oven temperatures do vary so keep an eye on its baking -- some oven's may take less and other's longer.
• 10 wrap the bread in a clean tea-towel, and allow to cool for about 2 hours.
• 11 slice and serve at room temperature or toasted, with a generous dollop of butter.