Irish Brown Bread

Irish brown bread is always something that is in demand. However like a lot of traditional Irish recipes there seem to be many variations. Below are some of the variations that I have came across.

However when we cook brown bread we always use Odlums flour and the recipes provided. They have the traditional Irish brown bread recipe, the Irish brown soda bread and a high fibre brown bread recipe.

Because of our certainty of these recipes they have an entire page to themselves, so you have two choices. never a bad thing.

You will find these recipes for Irish brown bread on this link here. Irish Brown Bread Recipe

Recipe for Irish Brown Bread

Ingredients

4 cups of stoneground whole wheat flour

2 cups of white flour

1 1/2 tablespoons of salt

1 1/2 tablespoons of baking soda

2 cups of buttermilk

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of sugar

Method

Mix the whole wheat flour throughly with the white flour.

Rub the butter into the flour mixture.

Add the salt and the baking soda.

Make a well in the centre and gradually mix in the liquid.

Stir with a wooden spoon.

You might need a little more or less liquid but the dough should be soft and manageable.

Flour your hands and knead the dough in the bowl into a ball.

Now place the dough ball onto a lightly floured baking sheet

and using the palm of your hand flatten it into a circle about 1 1/2 " thick.

Flour a knife and inscribe a cross into the flattened dough.

Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes reduce the heat to350 degrees and bake for 15 minutes.

If you do not like a hard crust wrap the freshly baked bread in a teatowel.

Leave the bread standing upright for about 6 hours until totally cooled.

Irish Tea Cake Recipe

12 tb Strong tea 1 oz Butter (melted)

1 lb Mixed dried fruit

9 oz All-purpose flour

6 oz Soft brown sugar

1/2 ts Bicarbonate of soda

1 Egg, lightly beaten

Servings: 4

The mixed fruit can include raisins, currants, and any other kind of dried fruit you like; chop any larger pieces down to about raisin size.

Place the tea, mixed fruit and sugar in a bowl; cover and leave overnight.

Stir in the egg and melted butter. Sieve the flour and the bicarb together and fold them in.

Line the bottom of a large loaf pan with baking parchment, andbrush the whole inside of the pan with melted butter.

Pour the mixture in and smooth the top.

Bake in a preheated oven (360 F) on the middle shelf for 1 1/2 hours.

After removing from the oven, leave in the pan for 2-3minutes; then turn out of pan and cool on a wire rack

Go from Irish Brown Bread to Irish Recipes

Irish Farmhouse Bread

8 oz Flour 1/2 ts Salt

4 oz Sugar 2 ts Baking powder

8 oz Mixed dried fruit 1 pinch Baking soda

1/2 Grated rind of a lemon

1 Egg beaten

2 tb Butter

1 1/4 c Buttermilk

Servings: 8

Mix the flour, sugar, fruit, lemon rind, butter, baking powder and soda.

Add the beaten egg and the buttermilk to make a nice soft dough; beat welland pour into a greased 2-pound loaf pan.

Bake at 300 F for 1 hour, oruntil it tests done with a hollow sound when tapped at the base.

Irish Brown Scones

1 c Flour

1 1/2 ts Baking soda

1 c Whole wheat flour

1/4 ts Salt

2 tb Sugar

1 c Buttermilk

1 tb Rolled oats

2 tb Buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Grease cookie sheet with nonstick spray.

2. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In a large bowl,combine all ingredients except buttermilk; mix well.

Make a well in the center of the flours; add 1 cup buttermilk. Stir just until moistened.

3. On a lightly floured surface, gently knead until dough holds its shape.

Place on greased cookie sheet; pat out into 7 inch circle. Brush with 2 tablespoons buttermilk.

4. Bake at 400F for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm

Source: Pillsbury Fast and Healthy Magazine March/April 1993Each serving contains: 2 breads Per serving: 140 calories