Irish Brown Bread

A couple of years ago I made my first loaf of Irish Soda Bread for St. Patrick’s Day, and instantly fell in love. I loved the thick, hearty texture and simple, yet complex, flavor. It’s perfect for toasting and slathering with butter and jam, to soak up extra broth from your favorite Irish stew or to eat alongside corned beef hash. Any way you cut it, it’s a fabulous bread that I have enjoyed over and over since first trying it. This year, I started seeing mention of Irish brown bread and went about trying to find some authentic recipes. Well, I found tons. And they all seemed to contradict each other in terms of what makes Irish brown bread truly “authentic” – some had to contain oats, some said absolutely no eggs, some said only four ingredients, and the list goes on and on. In the end it seemed that there was no one set of rules for Irish brown bread and I decided on this version from David Lebovitz’ blog, which comes from the chef/owner of Longueville House in Ireland.

I loved this version because it included such a wide variety of flours and grains – all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and a combination of wheat bran and wheat germ. I used a stone-ground whole wheat flour and oat bran since I didn’t have any wheat bran or wheat germ on hand. It takes the hearty texture of the bread to a whole new level and is absolutely, utterly delicious. I cut the original recipe in half since the original calls for such a large amount of flour. David suggested dividing the recipe into two loaves, but I just halved it and made one. For the full recipe, be sure to check out David’s blog.

I think I am now officially converted to the brown bread version of Irish soda bread – it’s delish!

One year ago: Asiago Bagels
Two years ago: Baked Oatmeal
Three years ago: Royal Crown’s Tortano
Four years ago: Mexican Rice

Irish Brown Bread

Yield: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Bake Time: 35 minutes

1 cup + 1½ teaspoons whole wheat flour
½ cup + 1½ teaspoons wheat bran, oat bran or wheat germ, or a combination
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
1¼ cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon molasses

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and put it on the center oven rack.

2. Whisk together the whole wheat flour and wheat/oat bran or wheat germ in a large bowl.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the wheat flour mixture and whisk to combine.

4. Add the butter pieces and rub them into small pieces with the flour mixture using your fingers, until as small as possible.

5. Stir in the buttermilk and molasses until the dough is uniformly damp. Turn out onto a lightly floured countertop and knead gently, until the dough forms a smooth ball.

6. Use a sharp serrated knife (or a lame) to slice a cross deeply into the top of the bread, about 1-inch deep. Place the loaf on the hot baking sheet.

7. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until the loaf is firm on top and when you tap the bottom, feels hollow.

8. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for about one hour before serving.

(Recipe adapted from David Lebovitz)

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