Traditional brown bread.. in the oven within 5 minutes-how easy is that!

My Traditional Brown Bread Recipe...

Served with Ballymaloe
Rhubarb & Ginger Jam!

Those who don’t bake, tend to think baking is difficult; it’s anything but, especially with breads made without yeast! This bread only takes 5 minutes to prepare; how easy is that!

I’ve been baking brown bread for many years now and have tweaked my recipe over time. There are many variations to this wonderfully wholesome loaf; here’s one of mine!

This makes one large loaf. Firstly, preheat your oven at 225 ^oC /450 ^o F. Lightly grease the base and sides of a 1lb loaf tin with a little butter or oil.

Ingredients:

• 10 oz of wholemeal flour
• 6 oz of plain white flour
• 1½ oz of oatmeal
• 1 teaspoon of bread soda
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1oz of soft butter
• 400-500 ml of buttermilk
• Mixed seeds for sprinkling on top (optional)

Method:

Mix all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl- make sure to sieve in the flour and bread soda. Rub in the butter well with your finger tips and let the air through as you mix. Make a well in the centre  of the bowl and add the buttermilk and gently mix in a circular motion from the edge inwards until the mixture if fully wet- I like my mixture quite wet as I use a loaf tin. Do not over mix. Turn the mixture into the loaf tin and smooth out with the back of a spoon. Make a slit with a knife down the centre of the loaf and prick in in a few places to let the air out. Finally, lightly sprinkle the mixed seeds over the top of the loaf and put in the oven.  

Time:

~40-45 minutes- lower oven temperature back to 200 ^oC after 15 minutes has elasped. Take the loaf out of the oven, loosen the bread from the sides with a knife and it should come out easily. Tap the base of the loaf and ensure it sounds hollow, if not, put loaf back into the tin upside down and at a slant and leave in for another 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before slicing. Enjoy with real Irish butter and homemade jam!

*Note: you can also bake this bread on a floured baking sheet, just use less buttermilk so the mixture is not too wet- shape into a circle and cut a cross on the top. This looks better and more traditional without the seeds on top*