Home Made Irish Soda Brown Bread

I have a few recipes I cook over and over again in my Bed and Breakfast, and are very popular with my guests, one been brown soda bread. This is a very traditional Irish bread.

 Nothing tastes better that home made brown bread with a thick covering of jam.

I had tried a lot of brown bread recipes but was never too happy with them till I came across this one. This recipe is from a TV program, sorry cannot remember the cook. It is very straight forward and there is no kneading involved.

Irish Brown Soda Bread

250 grams plain flour

250 grams wholewheat flour

1tsp dark brown sugar

1tsp salt

1tsp rounded bread soda

50 grams butter

1 egg

425ml buttermilk

•  Sieve plain flour, brown sugar, salt and bread soda into bowel.
• Add in the wholewheat flour
• Rub in the butter. Make a well in the centre of the flour
• Add egg to buttermilk, add all or nearly all to flour mix
• Mix all together with hand, working in a clockwise direction.
• Bring together using a little flour to dry off outside. Do not knead.
• At this point you can shape into round, place on floured baking tray. Cut cross on top. Or place in a loaf tin.
• I find the loaf tin the best as it is easy to cut, serve and there is less waste.
• Bake in hot oven 230c for 10-15mins, then lower oven to 200c and cook for a further 20-30mins

I usually make 4 loaves at a time, this bread freezes very well, so I freeze 3 loaves and have brown bread for the week all made in one go.