Brown Irish Soda Bread Recipes

IRISH BROWN SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit (200° Celsius).
• In a large mixing bowl, combine both flours, salt and baking soda and give everything a good mix until well combined.
• Pour in buttermilk and mix with a wooden spoon until the flour has absorbed all the liquid. Now, use your hands to form a dough. You can do this either in the bowl or by transferring the dough onto a floured worktop (if the dough is thicker, you might need to knead it to come together 2 or 3 times).
• Transfer the loaf onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and brush with egg wash (beaten egg).
• Bake in a preheated oven at 400° Fahrenheit (200° Celsius) for 30 minutes or until the bread is golden brown on top and the bottom is hard (brown as well).
• When ready, take it out and let it cool down before slicing.

MUM'S TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD RECIPE (BROWN BREAD)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F (215°C).
• Mix together the flours, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles bread crumbs.
• In a separate jug, whisk the egg and buttermilk together (see note on how to make Buttermilk below)
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the liquid, 3/4 at once, into the flour mixture.
• Using an open hand bring the flour and liquid together to a loose dough. The dough should be quite soft, but not too sticky. You will know then if it needs more of the liquids. (Flour in different places reacts differently to added liquid).
• Turn onto a floured work surface and gently bring the dough together into a round, about 1 1/2 inches (4cm) thick (8 inches by 8 inches).
• Place on a baking sheet dusted well with flour.
• Score the bread by blessing it with a deep cross on top. Poke a hole in the 4 corners of the bread to release the fairies and stop them from cursing your beautiful bread.
• Glaze the bread with the leftover bit of buttermilk in your jug and dust the top with rolled oats.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 400°F (200°C) and bake for 30 minutes more. When done, the loaf will sound slightly hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove from the baking sheet and place on a wire rack to cool.

IRISH BROWN BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Lightly grease a baking sheet.
• Mix all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
• Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture forms fine crumbs.
• Stir whole-wheat flour and quick-cooking oatmeal into the butter mixture.
• Gently stir yogurt into the oatmeal mixture. If mixture is too dry to hold together, add 1 teaspoon milk at a time, just until dough holds together; it should not be sticky.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; knead gently about 5 times to form a ball.
• Place the dough in the center of the prepared baking sheet; cut a large 'X' in the top of the loaf.
• Bake in preheated oven until well browned, about 40 minutes; transfer to a rack to cool. Bread can be served warm or cold.

IRISH BROWN SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt and baking soda. Use your fingertips to work the butter into the flour mixture.
• In a small bowl, beat the egg and buttermilk together. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon. Dough should be soft but not sticky; add a bit more all-purpose flour if necessary.
• Put dough on a lightly floured board and knead together gently, just enough to form a round loaf. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cut a deep cross on top.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then turn heat to 400 degrees and bake for 30 minutes more, until nicely browned. To tell whether it's done, thump the bottom of the loaf with your fingertips; it should sound hollow. Remove from baking sheet and cool on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before slicing, if possible.

BEST IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in butter until crumbly. In a small bowl, whisk eggs and buttermilk; stir into flour mixture just until moistened. Fold in raisins. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; gently knead 5-6 times., Divide dough in half; shape each portion into a round loaf. Place 6 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. , Bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

TRADITIONAL BROWN IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425F (not fan assisted). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and set aside.
• Toast the wheat bran and wheat germ by scattering onto a dry baking sheet and placing into a 350F oven, for 3-4 minutes, stirring once or twice. Watch closely as it can quickly burn if left too long. Remove from oven and immediately remove from the baking sheet to a bowl to cool a few minutes before using.
• *I like to do the toasting when my oven is preheating. When it reaches about the 325F mark, I'll pop in the baking sheet and it. Alternately, just preheat oven to 350F, toast, then increase the oven temperature to 425F once you've finished toasting.
• In a large bowl, combine the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, toasted wheat bran and wheat germ, rolled oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine well. Add the butter and rub into the flour mixture with your fingertips, until it is the consistency of fine meal. Add about 2/3 of the buttermilk and stir well to combine. Continue adding buttermilk in small increments, until the dough comes together in a moist, but not sticky dough. You may not need to use all of the buttermilk, but reserve any excess for brushing the top. Remove the dough to a work surface and roughly shape into a loaf shape to fit the pan.
• Brush top of loaf with buttermilk and scatter with more rolled oats and press down gently.
• Bake loaf until golden brown and until a long tester inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. *If your top is well browned but it is not yet testing ready, you can loosely lay a sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the loaf to be able to cook it longer, without it browning too much further. Remove from oven and immediately remove loaf to a cooling rack to cool. Allow the loaf to cool to just warm or completely before slicing.

IRISH BROWN SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Lightly grease two baking sheets.
• In a large bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, white flour, rolled oats, baking soda and salt. Gently mix in the buttermilk until a soft dough is formed. Knead very lightly. Divide dough into 4 pieces; form into rounded flat loaves. Mark each loaf with an 'X' and place on prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 to 45 minutes.

BROWN IRISH SODA BREAD

Steps:

• In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/4 t. salt.
• Cut in butter.
• Combine 1 egg and buttermilk and add to flour mixture; stir till just moistened.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead gently for 12 strokes.
• On a greased baking sheet, shape dough into a 6-in. round loaf.
• Cut a 4-in. cross, 1/4-in. deep, on the top.
• Brush with one beaten egg.
• Bake for 35 minute in a 375 degree oven.
• Cool on rack.

REAL IRISH BROWN SODA BREAD LOAF

Steps:

• Place wholemeal in a large mixing bowl.
• Sieve in Cream flour, salt, soda and sugar (if used).
• Add buttermilk and oil.
• Mix well.
• Transfer to a well greased 2lb loaf tin.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C, 325°F, Gas 3 for approximately 1 hour.
• Bread will be baked if base sounds hollow when tapped.
• Cool on a wire tray. For a soft crust, wrap bread in a clean tea towel.
• Variations for bread In preparation, after adding the buttermilk and oil, add 50g/2oz chopped walnuts and 50g/2oz chopped dried apricots; When adding buttermilk and oil, add 1 tablespoon of treacle; Add 50g/2oz of grated cheddar cheese to the dry ingredients.