2 Fabulous Irish Brown Bread Recipes
I adore Irish food. I think I've probably said that many (many) times over the years both on this website and in my podcast.
And if I had to choose the one item I eat daily- multiple times if I can- it's the Brown Bread.
This quick, hearty bread is perfect with eggs and black pudding for breakfast, layered open face with smoked salmon and Irish cheese at lunch, served warm with creamy Kerrygold at tea time, or as a side with Irish beef stew for dinner.
Is Irish Brown Bread also Soda Bread?
Though neither bread uses yeast to rise, instead relying on the chemical reaction created by buttermilk and baking soda, Irish brown bread and soda bread are different.
Irish soda bread is sweeter, often pebbled with raisins or sultanas, and made only with white flour.
Brown bread is darker, a bit nuttier in flavor, and also uses whole wheat flour, as well as wheat germ and often other grains.
Two Irish Brown Bread Recipes
Below you will find two of my favorite recipes. The first is a more refined loaf, pan baked. The second loaf is a more rustic, traditional round loaf.
Irish Brown Bread (pan loaf)
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 c all purpose flour
- 1 3/4 c whole wheat flour
- 3 T toasted wheat bran
- 3 T toasted wheat germ
- 2 T toasted old fashioned oats
- 2 T dark brown sugar packed
- 1 t baking soda
- 1/2 t salt
- 2 T (1/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 2 c buttermilk use a bit more if the mix is dry
- 2 T molasses or honey OPTIONAL
- 1-2 T toasted sunflower seeds or pepitas pumpkin seeds OPTIONAL
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Butter a 9x5x3 loaf pan.
- Combine first 8 ingredients (through the salt) in a large bowl; mix well.
- Add butter pieces; rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles a fine meal.
- Whisk together molasses and buttermilk.
- Stir in enough buttermilk mixture to form a soft dough. Sprinkle in seeds, leaving a few for the top of the loaf.
- Transfer to prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle on remaining seeds, if desired.
- Bake until bread is dark brown and tester inserted in center comes out clean- about 40 minutes.
- Cool out of pan, right side up on rack.
Notes
Irish Brown Bread (Traditional Round Loaf)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
- 3/4 cup quick oats
- 1/2 cup wheat germ
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
- 2 T tbsp honey or molasses
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425°F.
- Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray or use parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix flours, oats, wheat germ, baking soda and salt.
- Whisk together buttermilk and honey. Add to flour mixture; stir to combine until soft dough forms.
- Turn dough out onto floured surface. Divide in half.
- Shape each half into a round loaf. Place loaves 3 in. apart onto prepared baking sheet.
- Bake 10 minutes.
- Reduce temperature to 400°F. Continue baking 10 minutes longer or until bread sounds hollow when tapped.
- Let cool 15 minutes.
Notes
- Musical History Tour of Dublin with Fiona Dalton - October 3, 2024
- The National Famine Museum at Strokestown Park and the National Famine Way - October 3, 2024
- 5 Common Mistakes When Planning an Ireland Vacation - September 26, 2024
