Seaweed and Beetroot Soda Bread 

(Makes 2 mini loaves)

 

250g plain flour

10g caster sugar 

1 ½ tsp baking powder 

1 tsp sea salt 

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110g butter, melted 

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20g fresh seaweed, washed and drained. 

175g raw beetroot, peeled 

–

75g buttermilk or yoghurt

25g water 

1 egg, beaten 

–

A little extra egg, for glazing.

 

Preheat oven to 170°C

Select 2x 1.5lb loaf tins (each tin has a 700g capacity). 

 

Brush the tins with a little oil and line with a strip of baking parchment paper. 

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt). 

Melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat. 

Place the seaweed on a chopping board and pat dry. With a Cook’s knife, slice it finely.

 

Using a box grater, grate the beetroot. Alternatively, butternut squash may be used. 

Place the seaweed and root vegetable into the bowl and mix through with your hands.

Using a small container; measure the buttermilk. Top the weight-up to 100g by adding 25g water. 

Crack an egg over the top. Use a fork to beat together. 

Now, tip this mixture into the main mixing bowl. 

Lastly, pour the liquid butter into the bowl. 

Take a blue bread scraper and work the mixture, so that it is smooth and even in consistency – it should look sticky. 

When ready, weigh your bread dough and divide equally by 2. 

You should have approximately 350g of dough for each tin. 

Shape each dough neatly then drop into the prepared tins. 

Place the loaf tins into a preheated oven and bake for approximately 50 minutes. 

When you are happy that the cakes are cooked, take them out of the oven and leave to rest for 20 minutes. 

 

Suggestion: For a stronger taste of the sea, try adding sea purslane and/or some dried seaweed flakes. 

 

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