Baking, it’s not for everyone. Yes, it’s extremely therapeutic and the joy of cutting into your very own (still warm) home baked bread is difficult to replicate. The crackle and crunch of the crust, the slightly damp softness of the crumb and of course, the butter that seeps into every nook and cranny, making every joyous mouthful a celebration in buttery goodness. Sadly, baking bread is also time consuming, somewhat messy and a skill that does need to be developed over time. Should you be lacking in any of these departments, consider having your cake and eating it too. Or in this case, bread. Delivered.

Sourdough and Beyond, Dublin 15

The name says it all. This micro bakery run by Emmanuel Castellanos is based in Ongar, Dublin 15. Emmanuel started off specialising in sourdough loaves, delivered throughout the Dublin 15 area, but over time, has branched out to go far beyond bread. The sourdough selection includes a classic white loaf, country loaf, wholemeal loaf, a seeded loaf and sourdough baguettes. Sweet treats include Himalayan salted sourdough banana bread, morning buns and a selection of cruffins. Seasonality is very evident here with pumpkin spiced buns on the menu for October, along with Bramley apple cruffins with or without custard. You can choose to order for a once off delivery but standing orders (weekly) qualify for free delivery in the Dublin 15 area. Like we needed a reason… www.sourdoughandbeyond.com

Mueller and O’Connell Bakery, Abbeyleix

Sourdough and coffee delivered to your door. Does it get any better than this? Happily, the folks behind Mueller and O’Connell Bakery in Abbeyleix are happy to share the love and offer nationwide delivery of their part-baked sourdough loaves. At €19.50 for four loaves delivered, this could be all your bread dreams come true. Simply pop in the freezer until needed and then finish in the oven for 10 minutes or so to enjoy freshly baked bread throughout the week. Yes, we also mentioned coffee and for €38.50 you can avail of the aforementioned four loaves along with two bags of Craic Coffee beans. Genius. www.mocbakery.ie

Fallon and Byrne, Dublin

There is a lot more to Fallon and Byrne than bread, but the bread is excellent, and what’s more, they deliver. There is lots to choose from here with brioche, sourdough, seeded soda, baguettes, focaccia and ciabatta to name but a few. Then there is the selection of sweet bakes to consider. Tea bracks, lemon drizzle, pumpkin pie, deep dish apple tart and cheesecakes, the selection is never-ending and with a bank holiday looming, it feels like the perfect time to indulge. www.fallonandbyrne.com

Weekl.ie, Dublin

Online grocery shopping portal, Weekl.ie has played a large part in changing how we shop for food over the past couple of years (ie throughout Covid). By bringing sometimes unobtainable foods to us in the form of a weekly delivery, the world of gourmet produce has become so much more accessible to many. They offer a fantastic range of quality Irish (and more) ingredients available to order, including bread from Tartine Organic. Sign up for a weekly subscription service and pick and choose from a range of delicious fresh foods and groceries and don’t forget to add the Tartine sourdough. Other options include the four seed granary, baguettes, brioche, pastries and cinnamon rolls. shop.weekl.ie

Le Petit Delice, Galway

Since 2010, French natives Alex and Fred have been supplying Galwegians with freshly baked goodies and excellent coffee from their ‘boulangerie-patisserie’ on Mainguard Street in Galway. And better yet, they deliver. With a very reasonable minimum order of €15, residents of Galway and Oranmore can enjoy hassle free freshly baked bread, pastries, macarons and handmade in-house chocolates. What’s more, delivery is free, making this an easy decision for Galway residents. www.lepetitdelicegalway.com