Irish Brown Soda Bread
Irish brown soda bread is a quick-bread made without yeast. This traditional brown bread uses baking soda as the levening agent. We added a little baking powder to give it more rise. It is naturally dense and gets its beautiful color from a dollop of molasses.
Servings: 1 large 10-inch round loaf
Ingredients
- 1-¾ cups whole wheat flour
- 1-¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup wheat bran
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 tablespoons cold butter
- 1 egg
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 tablespoon oats for finishing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, reserve.
- Add the flours, bran, salt, baking soda and baking powder to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Cut the butter into bits and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles bread crumbs.
- In a separate bowl or pitcher, whisk together the egg, buttermilk and molasses.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk mixture.
- Stir the mixture together in a circular direction, beginning in the center, gradually working to the outside edge, incorporating the flour. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
- Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and using your hands, gently shape the dough into a round, pressing it to about 2-inches thick and place on the parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Using a sharp knife, cut a cross on the top of the dough. Make a small incision in each section of the cross.
- With a silicon pastry brush, glaze the dough with additional buttermilk and sprinkle with a tablespoon of oats.
- Transfer to the oven and and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and bake an additional 25 to 30 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the bread to a wire cooling rack.
- To check for doneness, tip the bread on its side and tap the bottom.
- When done, the bread will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom and an instant-read thermometer will read 200°F.
Notes
- Buttermilk is a vital ingredient in this recipe, no substitutions. You can make a homemade buttermilk by combining 8 ounces whole milk with 2 tablespoons white vinegar and allowing it to sit for 30 minutes or more.
- When you adjust the oven temperature at the 15-minute mark, check the bread and if it is browning too quickly, cover it with a piece of foil.
- This bread will keep for 2-4 days. To store the bread, wrap in plastic film and keep at room temperature.
Nutrition
Calories: 2478kcal | Carbohydrates: 397g | Protein: 77g | Fat: 75g | Saturated Fat: 41g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 337mg | Sodium: 5219mg | Potassium: 2669mg | Fiber: 41g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 2451IU | Calcium: 1272mg | Iron: 25mg
