Im glad to have this tested version of the bread, have been trying to recreate it with mixed results! It also goes by the name Spotted Dog. Please let me know if either of these methods work. Do French people like this sort of bread? My freezer was always carrying some of their bread. My husband and I are enjoying it right now. Using a fork or spatula, stir gradually until combined. Which brings me to an important point: I tested the recipe a number of times and ifyou want to use other ingredients,or alter the technique, the results may not be exactly the same. David your post reminded me of breakfast at the Australian boarding school I attended. I think with much less sugar it will be perfect. I'm drooling right now. Preheat oven to 375 F. Stir whole-wheat flour and quick-cooking oatmeal into the butter mixture. So I wrote to them and a few hours later, Robert Mosse, a member of the family who owns the mill, wrote back to me with some answers. Super good, especially given how little work it is. I always enjoy reading about your travels and am almost always introduced to something new with each post. Ive wandered to others for a comparison and keep coming back to yours. Special Savings. That being said, I think some softened butter could be cut into the flour mixture and it wouldn't harm the finished loaf. Thank you so much for sharing this - Ill have to try the Cork version of brown bread soon! Ballymaloekindly packed me up some of the flour that they use, so I had that, and I headed to my local natural food store to get regular whole wheat flour (T150, in France) to do a side-by-side comparison, which Ill get to in a minute. We enjoyed it last night with some traditional British cheeses. Add in the butter and blend in with fingertips until it resembles a fine meal. Theres no soda in it. Unlike other whole wheat breads that tend to have soft, unimpressive crusts, this one gets an extra-crisp exteriorfrom a special technique he showed me when the loaf was nearly finished baking. Where I live we would never add sugar to brown bread, but I know it differs throughout the country. I noticed that their measuring cup is in imperial measurements, a pint in imperial is 20 oz. 1 large round loaf, 10" to 12" in diameter, 2 to 3 tablespoons (25g to 35g) granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons (25g) vegetable oil or 2 tablespoons (28g) butter, melted. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking soda, and salt. About 8 minutes to read this article. Required fields are marked *. Scrape the dough into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a spatula or if its sticky, dampen your hand and use that then drape a kitchen towel over the top (so its not pressing down on the dough, but just lightly over the top) and let rise in a warm place until the dough reaches the top of the pan, about 20 minutes although it can vary so just keep an eye on it. This "lets the fairies out" during baking! When I tested this in a 9-inch by 5-inch glass pan, I baked it following the same directions above: 10 minutes at 400 F then 40 minutes more at 375 F. The internal temp of the finished loaf should be about 180 F. Thanks for the great question - let me know how it turns out! I think its the better flour than the highly commercial products, but I can be wrong. I really want to find cast iron loaf pans and think they would work well with this bread. However it was the best Irish brown bread I have ever eaten. I am trying this on my next bake! Recipe Instructions To mix the dough: Mix all of the ingredients together, using the smaller amount of flour. Hi Joan, thanks for your question. The bread turned out well, risen and browned, and still delicious. I also sprinkled some of the cornmeal over the top of the dough once it went into the pan. I would buy a ticket back just to go have the brown bread. Irish Brown Bread today is also made by artisan bakeries who take great pride in turning out these delicious loaves. The bread should be risen and browned, and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. A true hazard in my kitchen at times) This recipe was perfect! It bet its delicious. Hi! Blend together the stone-ground wheat flour, all-purpose flour, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Used whole wheat flour, substituted 4 tbsps for wheat germ and used regular yeast. My loafs are super flat! Hi Stuart! (Americans and their sugar, like you said!) Cut a deep cross over the top of the dough. Oh dear you said 1/2 in your directions. Thank you for the lovely comment. Thank you for this recipe and I can't wait to get baking!!! Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. It's so creamy, yummm! The recipe should work just fine with the sugar reduced or eliminated, and I do hope that you'll try it again soon! I will be making this bread often. This loaf gets a lot of attention around St. Patrick's Day! One cup is the equivalent of 120-125 grams. Of course its an easy recipe, but in my opinion there is too much yeast in this bread. It will form a round loaf about 8 inches in diameter. Enjoy the bread! Eating it takes me back to our time in Ireland, too. Thank you for this recipe! Thanks for those suggestions as well. I used a 12 grain flour from Bulk Barn (Canada), and 1 sachet of dry yeast. Thank you! The simplest of soda breads contained only flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda, and buttermilk. I seemed to have a lot of flour left that wasnt incorporated after adding all of the buttermilk. I learned much of it is becausethe wheat is milled in such as way that it remains verycoarse, giving the breads their special hardy texture and flavor. This recipe makes a very wet dough and it would be better to bake two rounds that are two inches thick. Thanks!! Oh, and I only used 2TBSP sugar since I like traditional brown bread and was nervous about it being too sweet. Add the dry ingredients (whole wheat flour, rolled oats, salt, baking soda) to a mixing bowl and blend together with a whisk. Unfortunately, we havent been able to travel this last year, so for my bday in February my wife had a cake made up to look like the chowder and brown bread. Was very hopeful about this recipe as I adore Irish brown bread, but have made it twice and am disappointed. is about 340 ml. Always interesting to see how much of a dish is down to technique and how much is down to specific local ingredients. @Cecila You might try Etsy. I make whole-wheat sourdough which does take a bit of time, but I will definitely keep this recipe mind if I suddenly run out and dont have a good 24hrs to wait for my dough to ferment. Since cold fermentation allows the bread to develop a more complex flavor, that could help give a boost to regular flour if people cant find or order the authentic kind. Thank you Nancy for your fabulous recipe. Yes, I'd love to hear back when you try it with just molasses. I tease my real cook-wife that I learned to cook one day last week. When you bake it in the Dutch oven, do you uncover it towards the end of baking? I am using only stoneground flours from a local mill, its not more expensive surprisingly. I do not recommend a food processor, but a stand mixer. I may give it a go and see! (You don't want to over-knead this bread as it will make it tough once baked. The recipe for my Irish Brown Bread with buttermilk is below! I'm wondering if I need to flatten my ball a little. Irish Brown Bread is delicious by itself, but even more so slathered with delicious Irish butter, and your favorite jam. The bread is ready when you tap the bottom and it sounds hollow. Definitely going to now. I think I know what you mean: sometimes after mixing the buttermilk in, there will be a bit of dry, unincorporated flour in the very bottom of the bowl. Roll to 1 inch thick and bake 250 c oven for 20 mins. Ill keep trying tho.. Perhaps you know that we germans are somehow famous for our bread. King Arthur Seasonal Pans & Sets. I live in Cork Ireland and your recipe is excellent. I used Hodgson Mills organic stone-ground whole-wheat flour, available in bulk at Whole Foods, and 10 grams of SAF Red instant yeast (a smidge over 21/4 teaspoonsthe King Arthur Flour website says to use 33% of the weight of fresh yeast when converting to instant), which I mixed in with the flours and salt in step one. Since King Arthur is out of it's Irish Style flour - I used a mixture of 100% extracted stone meal wheat flour and this I used my spice grinder to grind down some Red hard wheat grain I purchased at Whole Foods. I love learning from Tim. I added the Irish flour to my order and have to say this is one of the best whole grain breads I've had. When I was there for the Literary Festival, Tim Allen, the son of Myrtle Allen, who started growing vegetables at Ballymaloe in 1947, and decided to open a restaurant, hotel, and eventually acooking school adjacent to the gardens, kindly offered to take me in their cooking school kitchen to show me how its made. Scone & Popover Doughnut & Muffin Cake Bundt & Specialty Pie Bread . The successful outcome is even more special because I have an unreliable oven. "More bread please!" Which would be better? Let the loaf cool, then slice it up. In her book "Irish Traditional Cooking" the famous co-founder of the Ballymaloe Cookery School, Darina Allen, says it's traditional, and important, to slash your dough across the top as well as to poke holes in each corner of the dough. I'm just wondering if I could leave the sugar out so to have it more savoury for soups and meat. Mix in the walnuts. Just took a loaf of this bread out of the oven, and it is heavenly! Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, wheat bran, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in medium bowl. I was unable to find coarsely ground wheat flour in my area on short notice, so until I can get some online, I went out on a limb: cornmeal. For the working class and poor in Ireland in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, soda breads were an inexpensive and nutritious food that households could rely upon to help feed their families. Robert from Kells was actually at the festival, had I known, I would love to have introduced you two. I am Irish and make soda bread with my son but our recipe is different we will try this one as it sounds better than ours. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk and the oil or butter. I happen to have some in my pantry and was thinking the same thing.. Thanks Sinead, happy baking! Thanks! Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes while you mix the dough, then drain well. So wholesome, hearty, real. Would you be able to tell me where I could find a pottery salt pig? is a little more than 5 oz., as opposed to 4 oz. It sounds like it was under baked if it was heavy or sticky. I also put a bit more baking powder and soda. Wholemeal is obviously still best (the endosperm ground coarsely as well), but I thought my Graham version came out reasonably rugged and Irish-y. for the half cup. Can you let me know what that is? I dont usually comment on recipes but this was 10/10 delicious. I find too that if I use sour milk rather than buttermilk the texture of my bread is lighter though it might not always be possible to get. David, I cant thank you enough for this recipe! Hi Sinead, thank you for trying my Brown Bread recipe - Im so happy to hear that you liked it! Ill try my hand at this. I live in America and do not buy bread ever because of the American propensity for adding sugar. Just measure out 1-1/2 tablespoons of white vinegar, then add enough regular milk to make 1-1/2 cups. Scoop the dough into the prepared pan, mounding it in the center. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and insight on an impressive blog! This 100% whole wheat, craggy "everyday" loaf is enriched with a touch of sugar and a butter-brushed crust. This recipe is the best! My husband is Irish and his favourite thing is wheaten bread, as he calls it. My readers seem divided with many liking it sweetened and many cutting the sugar back. Form a ball on a floured surface. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thank you for this recipe, it did remind me of the brown bread I ate in Ireland. One of the best things about sharing my Brown Bread is all the folks Ive heard from here whove shared their own brown bread stories and favorite recipes. I could never make her bread but now you shared the recipe I can. Thank you very much not only for trying my brown bread, but for saving the recipe to make again. Taste of Home is America's #1 cooking magazine. Wholemeal tastes better freshly ground. I also recommend having a buttered slice with a hot cup of tea or coffee. Ive been making a very similar bread once a week for a couple of years now using 1 1/4 cups each of stoneground whole wheat flour and rolled oats and 1 cup of unbleached white flour with 1 packet of fast acting yeast. It's my go-to recipe for brown bread now. I would like to know whether I should use the "coarse" or the "extra-coarse". Mix all above. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Two good brands are Bob's Red Mill and Arrowhead Mills. Before we took the long walk to Dn Aonghasa Fort we had brown bread and soup at Tigh Nan Phaidi Caf on Inishmore. Preheat oven to 400F/204C degrees. . That's a great question about adjusting my recipe for high altitude. I am looking forward to trying this recipe. I grew up in Ireland and the bread is definitely not this sweet. Thank you so much for making my Brown Bread recipe and sharing this feedback with me and our other readers! Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead about 10 times, or until it all holds together. Who's hosting that event? Would allow for a nice crust I think. How creative to get a cake that looks like chowder and bread! Thanks David for keeping my interest in cooking alive ! As you said you have to experiment with the recipe and your own oven. Yum, I have never tried this. Don't forget to slather the baked slices with butter, Irish butter preferably! Mix all the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. Oh well next time! I visited their website and saw a lovely selection of whole-wheat (or wholemeal, as they call them) flours, but wanted to pinpoint which one. By Nancy Mock February 28, 2022 Updated January 11, 2023 86 Comments. Mom has passed on and so happy I can make for my family thanks so much. Stir together until blended and no dry spots remain; the dough will be soft and sticky. I rushed back here to save the recipe. If you live in the United States, coarse whole-wheat Irish-style flour is available from King Arthur Flour. If there is a sizable Irish population in your area, you can find it in the international aisle. soda breads were an inexpensive and nutritious food, King Arthur Baking Company's Irish Style Flour, https://hungryenoughtoeatsix.com/dublin-ireland-and-a-recipe-for-creamy-potato-soup-my-latest-delectable-destination/, https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking. Adding wheat germ wheat bran and flaxseed to flour for Irish brown bread baking in America Add the wheat germ, wheat bran and ground flaxseed. It gives the bread its particularly uniqueflavor and texture. I also used one sachet of dry yeast which was also fine. During our visit to Ireland, my family and I fell in love with Irish brown bread: a simple, rustic loaf with a crunchy crust, soft interior and rich wheat flavor. Kitchen Scales Pans. Hi Carol, That's wonderful that you were able to swap in molasses for the sugar, I would imagine it would take on a flavor of traditional Boston or New England Brown Bread. Hi David, the initial 50ml. ), Quickly shape it into a ball and place the dough into the lined pot or on the baking sheet. Hi Patricia, Odlums Coarse is the flour I use. Mix all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Thanks. Many thanks for this. I love that you describe the dough as shaggy :) And what a mighty fine loaf you produced! Put the dough in the oven and bake it for 10 minutesthen reduce the heat to 375 and bake the bread for 40 minutes longer. King Arthur Explore Our Tools. Butter a 9- by 2-inch round cake pan. You can see the texture here. Would that be teaspoons, tablespoons or cups? What both white and brown soda breads have in common is that they're leavened with baking soda and baking powder. Thank you so much! Line the pot or the baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir together until blended some lumps will remain. The dough is taken through step 4, put in the pan, and could likely be refrigerated then let come to room temperature and allowed to rise before baking. My family has made Irish Soda bread for years, but I think it has been Americanized over the generations. so, mustnt complain and its true, we are blessed with great, great bread too. I always sprinkle the top with toasted ground sesame seeds. Enjoy your week also. Stop writing about Ballymaloe! Preheat the oven to 400F. Totally missed the part about flattening it out to about 2", so it was quite a bit thicker but just baked until it had the hollow sound. Thank you! Hi Sabine, The white flour is 1 3/4 cups. And although Ive been told by Irish readers that real brown bread is never made with sugar (and that Americans eat too much of it!) If you're planning a trip to Ireland, I'm certain that, like us, you'll be able to enjoy Irish Brown Bread everywhere you go. Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, Side Dish, Snack. Irish Brown Bread is as typical as a pint of Guinness. ), but stoneground wholemeal flour, which is what you want, is widely available here in England. Pour 150ml of water into a small bowl and stir in the molasses, then crumble in the fresh yeast, stirring a couple of times. I love Irish soda bread, but this isnt soda bread. I appreciate you trying my recipe and letting me know this. Thank you so much for this post I grew up eating at an irish inspired restaurant in Vermont (Simon Pearce, if anyone else is familiar? I love to share "mostly healthy" easy and affordable ethnic recipes using fresh ingredients, with a bit of culture and food history sprinkled in. Read more-->. When I was growing up people would talk about how crisp a crust they could get on their brown soda or scones. I know there will be some ooops, what was I thinking? Hi Heather! Italian-Style Flour $10.95. Can I refrigerate it in the pan or not? Thank you for making my recipe, and for this comment which really made my day. A while back I switched from using regular KA whole wheat flour in my bread to Hodgson Mills whole wheat graham flour (http://www.hodgsonmillstore.com/en/all-natural-flour/whole-wheat-flour-71518-05005-001_group) its stoneground and has a much nicer texture than King Arthur. Shape it into a round, then place it on the lined baking sheet. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder. The cornmeal sounds great, as does the wheat germ. Great bread is the ultimate, and I love reading all this great info. You have to bake it until you get that hollow sound and this can vary by flour type, humidity, oven temp etc. Dust with all-purpose flour, tapping out excess. David, thank you for including the closest French ingredients, especially the type of flour. You are the luckiest guy in the world to have exposure to all the fine food that you taste and bake! Step 2 Whisk together flours, wheat germ, salt, sugar, baking. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. So you can start a loaf in the afternoon and have it for dinner. Thank you for the recipe! When I tested the recipe with the French whole-wheat flour versus the Irish coarsely ground flour, there was no comparison: The Irish flour took the bread to a whole other level and thecrumb wasjust like the loaves at Ballymaloe. Most important is, of course, the butter thickly spread on top. Thanks for the suggestion. Then I tried it with some Irish butter and it was just like being back there! At Kells (as well as with other Irish brands), theflour is meant to be used in soda breads, which are popular in Ireland, so its less powdery, more granular when you run your fingers through it. Directions Step 1 Butter two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Which is why he calls it a brown yeast bread, not a soda bread :). I have a Darina Allen cookbook with a soda bread recipe in it. And here are more recipes inspired by travels to Ireland: How do you like this brown bread? Buy 5 or More Select Mixes & Save! David- Sorry I saw the yeast discussion but I am still a little unsure as to how much dry yeast to use. Our best Irish bread tip: Slather on plenty of rich salted butter. Pour in most of the buttermilk and stir it into the dry ingredients. Using a fork or spatula draw the dry ingredients into the center and combine. Im touched that youre making my brown bread in honor of your mom, your family is very lucky. But, I think Ill try again with this recipe. 400 grams (3 1/2 cups) whole-wheat flour, preferably stoneground 50 grams (1/2 cup) white flour, all-purpose or bread flour 1 teaspoon salt 150ml (5oz), plus 275ml (10oz) tepid water, - 425ml 1 tablespoon dark molasses, or 1 teaspoon treacle Cheers. Remove it from the oven, and serve warm. Hi Micky, I think you could certainly try to make the bread with wholemeal flour only - if you go to the Odlums website, they have one or two "healthy" brown bread recipes made with all wholemeal flour. Ive made the Beard bread for years, most recently using Bobs Red Mill stone ground whole wheat flour, which is terrific. Coarsely ground from red whole wheat, this soft flour is our version of the whole grain flours used to bake traditional Irish breads. We call it a brown soda made like this treacle bread and a friends mother always made in in a casserole dish in the oven with a lid on which is actually the way it was originally made in a metal oven like a covered dish in the ashes of an open fire with coals on top of the lid. This brown bread is unbelievable and I cant wait to make it myself, so thanks for the helpful tips about the ingredients. Hi Gerardine, were you able to make my brown bread recipe and sample it? When I ammended it, I was left with the worst brick of bread ever. Coat an 8- or 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Beard seems to have had a taste for salt many of his bread recipes have way too much salt I use 1 tsp not the tablespoon he calls for. I added a bit more and was able to get it into a good loaf but there was still flour left over. Yes, you can definitely bake this in a loaf pan. Happy baking! I am going to be participating in a virtual Irish Soda Bread Making Event tomorrow. I just returned from a wonderful vacation to Ireland, and I loved the brown soda bread everywhere.