Mum uses a cup for her measurements about the size of a traditional teacup

• 4 cups brown flour
• 2 cups white
• Good round teaspoon of bread soda
• Good round teaspoon of salt
• Approx. a pint butter milk

This makes quite a large loaf. Have your oven pre-heated to approx 200 C. (Mum uses an Aga which could be anything from 160 C to 240 C).

Put all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix with hand being sure to aerate the flour by lifting it and allowing it to fall back into the bowl.

Make a well in the centre and pour the butter milk in. This works best when you know the exact quantity and put it all in at once. So the first few times take careful note of the amount of milk being used. Mum then mixes it (don't over mix as the flour starts to release gluten which will make your bread heavy) using a wooden spoon. The consistency should be quite wet but still holds its shape. Then empty the mixture directly onto a floured baking tray. Flatten out to about 4 cm thick. Cut a cross in it the full length and width of the loaf and spike each quarter with your knife to let the fairy's out (very important!)

Pop it in the oven and cook for approximately 40 mins. If it is burning on the outside you can either turn down the heat a little or if it is nearly cooked, turn it upside down this helps to cook the bottom.

Tips. Don't open the oven while it is rising for first half an hour and if it doesn't come off the tray, either it wasn't well enough floured or it isn't cooked yet, probably both!