St Patrick’s Day is with us again and time to knock up a loaf or two of traditional Irish Soda Bread. Of course, you do not have to wait until March 17 each year as you can enjoy this delicious quick bread all the year round. The soda in the name is there because the recipe uses bicarbonate of soda in place of yeast. There are numerous variations on a theme when it comes to Irish soda bread recipes but the traditional base ingredients are nearly always the same with various ‘extras’ added.

Irish soda bread is a traditional quick bread that is quite simple to make at home. It is made with sifted soft flour, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), buttermilk, butter and salt. The bread gets its name from the fact that the original Irish recipe uses bicarbonate of soda as a leavening agent. The recipe does not use yeast and is therefore called a quick bread, since the dough does not have to be left to rise. As with the majority of home baking, Irish Soda Bread is at its most scrumptious when served still warm out of the oven. Try it lightly buttered with a little honey for a sweet treat.

Bread and butter pudding is one of those traditional British desserts that everybody loves. The pudding is made from slices of slightly stale buttered bread layered in an oven dish with a liberal scattering of raisins. An egg and milk mix, which has been seasoned with nutmeg, cinnamon or mixed spices, is then poured over the top with more bread put on top. Bake for about thirty minutes and enjoy.

Banana bread is a sweet type of quick bread that involves no yeast or kneading. Consequently, it takes less time than normal bread to prepare and bake. In fact banana bread is a tasty moist cake that is also a great way to use up left over bananas that not good enough to eat.

Naan bread is a classic accompaniment to any Indian meal and is a traditional yeast-free bread, similar to pita. Traditionally, Naan bread is baked on a griddle in a stone oven, but you can make it at home as well. This traditional recipe, by Indian vegetarian gourmet Manjula, walks you through how to make six naans in your own kitchen.

This recipe will give you two loaves of fresh hot oven baked crusty white bread. Ingredients 1/2 cup milk 3 Tbsp sugar 2 tsp salt 3 Tbsp butter 4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast 1 1/2 cups warm water 5-6 cups all purpose flour 400 degrees Farenheit for 30 minutes. Yield: 2 loaves...