Irish Brown Bread
This easy recipe for Irish brown bread shows you how to make Ireland's favorite bread at home from scratch! Whether you eat it fresh or toasted, you'll love its crispy crust and nutty flavor with butter and jam or a hearty stew.
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 170kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 cups buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and place a large baking stone on the center rack to preheat.
- Pour the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and whisk until well combined.
- Gradually add the buttermilk, mixing it in with your hand as you go, until a slightly sticky dough forms. You may not need all the buttermilk, or you may need a little extra depending upon the brands of flours and humidity.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it gently a couple of times. Shape into a ball and use a sharp knife to cut a deep cross into the loaf, cutting almost all the way through.
- Use a cake lifter or pizza peel to pick up the loaf from the work surface and to slide it onto the preheated baking stone. Bake at 450°F for 15 minutes, then bake at 400°F for another 15 minutes, or until the loaf has an internal temperature of 200°F in the middle. Cover it with foil halfway through if it's getting too dark.
- Allow the loaf to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving, about 1 hour. Serve with butter and jam or with an Irish soup like Dublin coddle.
Notes
- Handle the dough gently. There's no need for vigorous kneading in this recipe!
- Use a sharp knife to cut a deep cross into the loaf before baking, cutting nearly all the way through the dough. This ensures that the bread cooks in the center.
- Cover the bread with foil halfway through the baking time if it's getting too dark.
- Make sure the bread cools on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing, or it will de gummy in the middle.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 368mg | Potassium: 138mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 51IU | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg
