Irish White Bread

Preheat the oven to 225 °C (top and bottom heat) and lightly flour a baking sheet.

Thoroughly mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.

Add cold butter in small pieces and quickly work it in with a knife or your fingertips until the mixture is crumbly.

Pour in the buttermilk and quickly mix everything into a soft, slightly sticky dough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and, without kneading, gently shape it into a round loaf.

Place the loaf on the floured baking sheet, make a deep cross-shaped cut on top and dust with a little flour.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 225 °C, then reduce to 200 °C and bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove the bread from the sheet and let it cool completely on a wire rack.