Not quite a year ago I read a recipe in the Wall Street Journal. Yes. The Wall Street Journal. (27 February 2016)
The Journal has a lot of terrific recipes and they present them in a very unique fashion.
The story behind this bread (according to Gail Monaghan of WSJ) is that it is traditional and swoon worthy. She developed the recipe after eating loaves of it at a guest home in County Cork. Since three of my husband’s four born-in-Ireland grandparents were born and lived in County Cork, I knew I had to try it. Even though said Irish husband said it was going to be dry and terrible like all soda breads. And that he probably wouldn’t like it.
I gathered my ingredients, which are numerous and specific…especially the King Arthur brand Irish Style Flour and set to work. First try….easy (the hardest part is waiting for the mailman to bring the Irish Style Flour)…aromatic…and delicious. Especially with a smear of butter and a large mug of tea. (My father used to make us sandwiches of peanut butter and butter on rye bread….this brown bread is worthy of that delightful combination. Try it…you’ll see).
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3 1/2 cups King Arthur Irish Style Flour (or stone ground whole wheat flour)
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 1/2 cups natural wheat bran
1 1/4 cups steel-cut oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons sea salt
4 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 quart plus 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl use a large spoon to mix all dry ingredients until well combined.
Add buttermilk and stir until dry ingredients are evenly moist. (Be sure to use the correct measuring cups for dry and wet measurement. Individual cups are for dry ingredients. Glass is for wet).
2. Divide dough equally between two greased loaf pans (approximately 9 or 10 inches by 5 inches).
3. Bake in middle of oven until golden and crusty, 50 minutes. Unmold and cool on a wire rack.
yellow room upstairs 