WHAT YOU NEED

1.   Preheat your oven to 180°C. Butter a large loaf tin (about 23 x 13 x 6cm) and either line it with buttered baking paper or dust it with flour, then set aside.

2.   Put the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, pepper and mustard into a large bowl. Whisk them together with a balloon whisk for 1 minute (or you can just sift them into the bowl instead). Add both of the cheeses, the olives, chives and thyme and stir them thoroughly together.

3.   In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the oil and buttermilk until they’re well combined. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Stir together until they form a thick, sticky batter. Scrape this into the prepared tin and smooth it out evenly.
If you’re using the egg wash, brush it over the top, then sprinkle some small thyme sprigs and sea salt onto the loaf.

4.   Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a fine skewer inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean—you can almost tell by the tantalising aroma alone when it’s ready. Remove from the oven and leave the loaf in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack, remove the paper and leave it to cool.

5.   Like most of the breads in Mix & Bake, it tastes better when it’s still barely warm or at room temperature. If you find you have leftover buttermilk herb bread, wrap it tightly and store it in the fridge for up to three days. When you want to use it, wrap it loosely in foil and heat it gently in a 150°C oven. It is still fine for a few more days after that, but is best sliced and toasted.

1.   Preheat your oven to 180°C. Butter a large loaf tin (about 23 x 13 x 6cm) and either line it with buttered baking paper or dust it with flour, then set aside.

2.   Put the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, pepper and mustard into a large bowl. Whisk them together with a balloon whisk for 1 minute (or you can just sift them into the bowl instead). Add both of the cheeses, the olives, chives and thyme and stir them thoroughly together.

3.   In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the oil and buttermilk until they’re well combined. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Stir together until they form a thick, sticky batter. Scrape this into the prepared tin and smooth it out evenly.
If you’re using the egg wash, brush it over the top, then sprinkle some small thyme sprigs and sea salt onto the loaf.

4.   Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a fine skewer inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean—you can almost tell by the tantalising aroma alone when it’s ready. Remove from the oven and leave the loaf in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack, remove the paper and leave it to cool.

5.   Like most of the breads in Mix & Bake, it tastes better when it’s still barely warm or at room temperature. If you find you have leftover buttermilk herb bread, wrap it tightly and store it in the fridge for up to three days. When you want to use it, wrap it loosely in foil and heat it gently in a 150°C oven. It is still fine for a few more days after that, but is best sliced and toasted.