Traditional Irish brown bread has only a handful of ingredients but the flour is key. Also, this recipe lets you choose between using an egg or no egg.
(NOTE: A VIDEO FOR THIS RECIPE CAN BE SEEN ON MY INSTAGRAM PAGE.)
When I started this blog 15 years ago (on St. Patrick’s Day, no less) one of the first recipes I shared was this Irish brown bread. We had taken several trips to Ireland by then, to spend time with long-time friends who are like family to me and my husband. In addition to all the fun exploring the country and meeting new people, one of the best takeaways from those visits was the brown bread that our friend always had at the table.
Her brown bread was beautifully rustic, hearty and dense. Toasted until the edges were golden and crisp and slathered with butter, it was a delightful treat every morning, especially washed down with Barry’s Irish Breakfast tea, still my favorite today.
What are the Components of Traditional Irish Brown Bread?
Irish Brown Bread has four main ingredients: whole wheat flour, buttermilk, baking soda, treacle (or molasses), salt. Depending on the recipe, one might add oats, an egg or sometimes raisins. At its simplest, the first five ingredients are all you need for this quick bread that comes together so easily.
How Can you a True Irish Brown Bread at Home?
The hallmarks of a good brown bread are its craggy exterior, dense crumb and hearty texture. My first attempts didn’t yield the best results until I found the right flour to use. Irish wholemeal flour differs from our American whole wheat flour in texture–the former is much coarser as it is not milled as finely.
You achieve that texture by mixing in wheat germ, wheat bran or both. Wheat germ is more readily available for me so I have decided to leave out the wheat bran over the years. Even using only the germ adds a nice coarseness to the flour that comes close to texture of Irish wholemeal flour.
Recipe Variation: Egg or No Egg?
If you scour the web for Irish brown bread recipes you’ll see some versions with egg, though the most basic, traditional recipes don’t call for it. One of the most popular recipes in Ireland which one of our Irish friends uses contains eggs so it’s safe to say either would be acceptable. I have tried both and while I’ve not yet met a loaf of brown bread I didn’t love, I like my version that uses one egg because it makes the bread a little less crumbly. I’ve decided to share both versions in the printable recipe so you can decide which you like best (and also since eggs are still scarce in some areas.)
As for the other changes I’ve made over the years (this recipe I’m sharing here is the same I’ve been using for about five years), it’s been just a matter of streamlining what was a simple recipe to begin with. I had consulted some old cookbooks to arrive at my original recipe which used cream of tartar as a leavening agent along with baking soda but this wasn’t as practical for me. I now use a combination of baking soda and baking powder.
I’ve also upped the ratio of whole wheat flour to all-purpose flour to optimize the heartiness of my brown bread. As for the sweet component, Irish brown bread is not meant to be a sweet bread. A little treacle is the most traditional addition (molasses is a good substitute for this). However, most of the time I just use sugar since it’s the most convenient option for me. One tablespoon of sugar is more common but I go all out and use two because I like the subtle sweetness.
Irish Brown Bread Tips
Finally, a note about how much buttermilk to use: you want to add just enough to moisten the dry ingredients but not make the dough too wet. You may need more or less than the amount I have in this recipe so leave out a few tablespoons to see how your dough looks if you try this recipe. The dough will be sticky* as it comes together but this is a small price to pay for the wonderful bread you get to enjoy.
* To minimize the dough sticking to your fingers moisten them just a little as you press the dough into a round.
Irish Brown Bread (With or Without Egg)
Traditional Irish brown bread has only a handful of ingredients but the flour is key. Also, this recipe lets you choose between egg or no egg.
Ingredients
- 350 grams whole wheat flour
- 100 grams all-purpose flour
- 60-70 grams wheat germ (try with smaller amount the first time)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch kosher salt (or regular salt)
- 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar (your preference)
- 450-470 ml buttermilk (see note)
- 1 egg (optional, see note)
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
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In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients from the whole wheat flour to sugar.
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If Using the Egg: crack it into a small bowl and beat it lightly before adding it to the dry ingredients. Then plan to use only 450ml of the buttermilk, holding back two to three tablespoons until you start mixing the dough.
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If Omitting the Egg: Plan to use the higher range in the buttermilk amount above but start with pouring in only 450ml to start.
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Use a spatula to incorporate the buttermilk (and egg if using) into the dry mixture. The dough will be thick and craggy. If you've incorporated most of the buttermilk and you still see a lot of loose, dry flour, add more buttermilk one tablespoon at a time. You want most, if not all of the loose flour moistened but not too wet.
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Turn the dough out on a lightly floured counter and knead once or twice then press the dough into a six to seven inch round, about two inches tall. Transfer the dough to a round cake pan or cast iron skillet lined with parchment paper then score a cross on the top of the dough.
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Bake at 400ºF for 10 minutes then reduce the heat to 375ºF and bake for another 30-35 minutes. Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack (remove the parchment) before slicing.
Recipe Notes
Buttermilk: whether you use the egg or not, start with the smaller amount listed above and maybe even hold back two to three tablespoons until you are almost done mixing the dough. You want to add just enough to hydrate most, if not all of the dry ingredients. You can add more buttermilk one tablespoon at a time. (if you don’t use the egg you will likely need to use the higher amount listed above)
Egg: If you decide to use the egg, crack it into a small bowl and beat lightly then stir in with the buttermilk. You will need less buttermilk with one egg in the recipe so you might not need more than 450 ml. Again, hold back a few tablespoons to see how your dough looks.)
This sounds delightful. I remember using wholemeal flour years ago which was way more ‘grainy’ than the stuff we get now in australia. It is very refined these days, and not so much of the gritty stuff. I don’t even bother to sieve it anymore. Anyways, this brown bread sounds great.
cheers
sherry https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/
Thank you, Sherry. Yes, that’s the wholemeal flour I remember, too, and it makes brown bread so hearty and delicious. 🙂