I've tried making this bread twice since I came home from Ireland. I found this recipe online, and the first time I made it with 2 cups of skim milk and a teaspoon of vinegar instead of the buttermilk, baked it for 40 minutes, and it turned out fairly well, though it was a little doughy in the middle.
The second time, I substituted one cup of the whole wheat flour with a cup of rye flour, increased the salt and sugar from 2 tsp to 3, (the bread in Ireland tasted like it contained very little of either, which I kinda missed) and used real buttermilk. Then I baked it for 40 minutes as directed.
Clearly, I should have baked it longer because although it looked lovely (see the picture below), when I sliced it after letting it cool for a while, it REALLY wasn't done in the middle. I put it back in the oven for another 20 minutes or so, but it was still pretty doughy and heavy as lead.
Then I checked the reviews. Some people loved it, while others had no luck with it at all. I looked at some other recipes, and in one of them, someone made the comment that American flour has a higher gluten content than Irish flour, and advised against kneading it, saying that you should just stir the milk in until the dough is the consistency of oatmeal and pour it into the pan.
I might try that at some point, but right now I'm too full to consider it. I'm still thinking that the buttermilk might've been the culprit, although some of the other recipes did call for less butter. Anyway, I'm posting the original version of the recipe I used. If anyone feels like experimenting, I'd love to know how it turns out.
Irish Brown Bread
Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups plain white flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp sugar
1 stick of cold butter
2 cups buttermilk
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together. Cut butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly. Add buttermilk gradually, stirring until a sticky dough forms. Add additional flour and knead until the dough is no longer sticky. Place dough in a buttered 9 inch pie dish and flatten it out to fill the pan. Cut a large X in the top, about 1/2 inch deep. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until lightly browned and the loaf has a hollow sound when you thump it. Remove from pan and allow to cool.
If it turns out well, slather on the butter and enjoy!
If it doesn't, I recommend slathering the butter on this fellow, instead.
The choice is yours.
7 comments:
The recipe sounds yummy! I LOVE homemade bread :) I have a recipe for whole wheat biscuits that's similar, but it has less liquid. I'm thinking I'd tweak your recipe a little, Cheryl. Cut the liquid down to about a cup and half or so, and I prefer the skim milk/vinegar replacement to buttermilk. Increase wheat flour to three cups. Use bread flour instead of white and reduce to one cup. With no yeast, I'd also do only minimal kneading--just enough to incorporate the flour.
Then I'd enjoy some hunk time while the bread bakes :)
Cheryl,
Let's compare the healthier version my Dad gave me from the Mayo clinic. It's worked really nice.
A staple in homes all over Ireland, this hearty round wheat bread is a snap to make. It's typically cut into wedges and served with jam for the morning meal. Don't forget to cut an X into the top of the dough.
By Mayo Clinic staff
Makes 24 slices
Ingredients
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading and dusting
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Have ready a nonstick baking sheet.
In a bowl, combine the flours, wheat germ, baking soda and salt. Whisk to blend. Beat in the buttermilk and egg and stir just until moistened.
Turn the dough out onto a generously floured work surface and, with floured hands, gently knead it 8 to 10 times; the dough will be sticky. Gather into a loose ball.
On the baking sheet, form the dough into a 7-inch round. Dust the top of dough with a small amount of flour. Cut a 4-inch X into the top of the dough, cutting about 1/2 inch deep. Bake until the bread splits open at the X and makes a hollow sound when the underside is tapped, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 2 hours (ideally) before slicing.
And Last but not least. I'll take this Big Crumpet with my tea.
Thanks for the tips, ladies! Maybe I should bake it on a cookie sheet instead of in a pie dish. That would probably help get it done faster.
Yes, Cheryl, this bread is so dense. The cookie sheet works really well. You can tell if it's done easier.
Oh, I'm so making my choice the hunk...even if I do love homemade bread:)
Unfortunately, right now, bread is all I've got!
I'm thinking making this recipe into two loaves might work better. The bread I bought at the grocery in Ireland was a much smaller loaf.
Where can I find the ingredient wheat germ at? Would it be in the aisle witht he flour in the supermarket? Would love to try this recipe =)
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