Irish Soda Breda

This recipe is one I remember baking with my Great-Grandmother in Coldblow.

Irish Brown Soda Bread (makes 2 x 1lb loaves)
8 oz wholemeal flour
4 oz white flour
4 oz wheat bran
2 oz brown sugar (the darker the sugar the better the taste)
1 teaspoon bread soda
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
2 eggs lightly beaten
16 fluid oz Butter Milk

Method
Preheat oven to 160˚c (325˚f or Gas mark 3) i.e. moderate oven (if fan oven check the manual for temperature equivalent)

Sieve white flour, salt, bread soda and baking soda into a bowl

Add the wholemeal flour, wheat bran and sugar and combine well

Make a well in the flour and add the eggs and milk

Mix well

N.B. The result should be a mixture that is dropping consistency, but not liquid/runny. However, this always depends on the flour, temperature etc. so you may have to add a dash more/less milk.

Divide the mixture evenly between two well greased 1lb loaf tins

Cook in the oven for approximately 45-60 minutes at 160˚c (325˚f or Gas mark 3) i.e. moderate oven

N.B. To check if cooked – Tap on bottom of tin and should sound hollow when cooked

Cool on wire tray

When cool wrap in brown grease proof paper and the bread should keep for a few days (or slice and freeze) – if there’s any left !

N.B. If you don’t have Butter Milk add 1 teaspoon of Bextartar as the acid to the white flour when sieving.

Variations

use Guinness instead of milk (yummy)

add a teaspoon of ginger and a teaspoon of caraway seeds

add 2 oz of raisins or currants