How to make bread without yeast or bread flour
Who鈥檇 have thought we鈥檇 become a nation of bakers all of a sudden? If the supermarket baking shelves are empty, don鈥檛 despair. If you鈥檝e been lucky enough to bag any kind of flour but aren鈥檛 sure how to make bread with it, we鈥檝e got easy recipes to see you through 鈥 yes, even if you have no yeast!
Soda bread
A proper, sliceable loaf, soda bread makes great toast. You can change the flavour by adjusting the ratio of white to wholemeal flour. Scatter in a few oats or seeds in this easy soda bread or go fruity for breakfast in Nadiya鈥檚 spotted dick soda bread.
Flatbreads and pizza dough
You can swap in plain flour, chapati flour, wholemeal flour or a blend to make these easy flatbreads in 15 minutes. Fill and roll them like traditional wraps, or freeze them and defrost in the toaster for a buttery breakfast. This cheaty no-yeast pizza dough uses self-raising flour and is ready in 30 minutes.
Naan breads
Naan breads can be made with baking powder 鈥 and they鈥檙e soft, fluffy and really easy to make. For curries, of course. If you want the full package, this tinned lentil curry with easy naan is top-notch.
Scones
Whether you like them sweet or savoury, scones require no yeast or bread flour. Nigel Slater鈥檚 giant cheese scone is a great accompaniment for lunches and dinners, and can be made with lots of different cheeses. If you toasted a slice with more cheese, we wouldn鈥檛 hold it against you. Little wholemeal cheese scones are also perfect for lunch, or you can top a casserole or stew with scone dough, rather like a savoury cobbler.
Crackers
Once you鈥檝e made homemade crackers, you鈥檒l wonder why you ever bought them. They are so quick and easy, plus utterly customisable. Nice alongside a bowl of soup, but essential with a plate of cheese and chutney.
No flour at all?
You can whip up a flourless potato scone that makes a great accompaniment to soups or stews or a delicious brunch with grilled tomatoes, spinach or eggs. A potato rosti is a little less fluffy, but equally good.
Bread alternatives
Yorkshire puddings
It鈥檚 not bread, we know. But who鈥檚 ever sad to see a Yorkie? Whether small Yorkshire puddings with just enough space for a teacup of gravy or this Yorkshire pudding wrap, with a little plain flour to make a batter you鈥檝e got comfort itself. They also freeze brilliantly. Are these unprecedented times not reason enough to throw caution to the wind and try Yorkies for breakfast?
Dumplings
We see your face falling, but it鈥檚 ok. You don鈥檛 have to have a box of suet in the cupboard to make fluffy dumplings. These use self-raising flour with a bit of butter and yoghurt. Cook on top of a vegetarian casserole or classic beef stew.
Pancakes from odds and ends of different flours
Plain white flour, wholemeal flour, spelt flour, or buckwheat flour 鈥 almost anything can be used to make quick and easy savoury pancakes. Fill with vegetables, cheese, beans, fish, it really doesn鈥檛 matter. If you can only find unusual flours such as gram flour, you can still make pancakes.
How to make your own self-raising flour
If you have plain flour but no self-raising flour, you can make your own by adding 2 teaspoons of baking powder to every 150g plain flour. Sift it through to ensure the baking powder is evenly distributed. Store in an air-tight container.