Cheddar Jalapeno Soda Bread

Ingredients

• ----For the Soda Bread----
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 200g grated old cheddar cheese
• 1 ¾ cups milk or buttermilk
• 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar*
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 250ml pickled jalapeno slices, chopped
• ----For the Homemade Butter----
• 2 cups 35% (or higher) cream
• ¼–½ teaspoon sea salt

Directions

For the Soda Bread

1. Heat your oven to 425ºF and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in most of the cheddar cheese, reserving some for the top of the loaf. In a separate bowl or a 4-cup glass measuring cup, whisk together the milk, lemon juice or vinegar, butter, and sugar. Stir in the chopped pickled jalapenos.
3. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Using a wooden spoon, stir until all the liquid has been evenly mixed in. If needed, add a little more milk or flour until the dough comes together and is not too sticky. Reserve any leftover buttermilk.
4. Once the dough is too stiff to stir with the spoon, lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Gently knead the dough two or three times to form it into a rough loaf being careful not to overwork it.
5. Transfer the dough to the prepared sheet pan. With a large knife, score a deep ‘X’ across the top of the loaf making sure to cut about halfway down. Scatter with the remaining cheese.
6. Bake for 20 minutes then reduce the heat on your oven to 325ºF and continue to bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when you tap on the top with your knuckles.
7. Transfer your loaf to a wire rack and allow it to cool before slicing. Once cool, wrap the loaf and store at room temperature for 3 to 4 days or wrap well and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

For the Homemade Butter

1. Add the cream to a food processor. Turn the machine on and process for 3 to 5 minutes or until the cream looks very curdled and it sounds splashy.
2. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve lines with a few layers of cheesecloth. Gather the corners of the cheesecloth up and gently squeeze the butter to remove as much of the buttermilk as possible.
3. Transfer the butter to a bowl and mash in the salt.
4. Transfer the butter to a container or shape and wrap with parchment or wax paper to store in the fridge for up to 1 week.