Beautiful Brown Soda Bread Recipes

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 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.

WONDERFUL MOIST RICH BROWN SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200° or 180° for fan assisted ovens .Makes one medium size loaf 9" x 4" loaf tin.
• Mix all dry ingredients together in bowl making sure the sugar is well mixed.
• In a separate bowl pour in about 1 1/2 cups of the buttermilk (saving the rest for later) add the egg slightly whisking as you go. Melt butter slowly over low heat and add this to the buttermilk mixture.
• Now make a well in flour mixture and gradually add the buttermilk mixture until sticky. If needed add some more of the left over buttermilk.
• Grease the loaf tin with a little butter and put the mixture in then shape with your knuckles to fit the tin. Place in the preheated oven for 50 mins, when done the bread should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.Leave to cool on wire rack, If you require a softer crust cover with a clean damp teatowel
• Eat warm or cold with lashings of butter, lovely with soup, cheese, jam or nice cooked breakfast in fact anything at all!

TRADITIONAL IRISH BROWN SODA BREAD

Steps:

• Mix the dry ingredients very well.
• Moisten with the sour milk to form a soft dough.
• Knead lightly.
• Form into a round, mark with a cross, place on a tin and bake for 30-45 minutes in the oven at 220°C.