Description
This traditional Irish Brown Bread is a hearty, wholesome loaf made with stone ground whole wheat flour, oats, and a unique blend of stout ale and buttermilk. Perfectly dense and flavorful with a slight sweetness from molasses and brown sugar, it’s an ideal companion for soups, stews, or a comforting breakfast with butter and jam.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups (400g) stone ground whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup (50g) rolled oats, plus extra to sprinkle on top
- 1/4 cup (50g) steel cut oats
- 2 teaspoons (10g) baking soda
- 2 1/2 teaspoons (9g) Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar or honey (½ teaspoon of each)
Wet Ingredients
- 11 oz (330g) stout ale
- 2/3 cup (165g) buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses or black treacle
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Additional honey if using 1 teaspoon instead of ½ teaspoon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare the pan: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease a 9-inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray and line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the stone ground whole wheat flour, rolled oats, steel cut oats, baking soda, Kosher salt, and brown sugar or honey until fully combined and evenly mixed.
- Add and mix wet ingredients: Pour in the stout ale, buttermilk, blackstrap molasses, melted butter, and honey to the dry ingredient mixture. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula just until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated to avoid overmixing.
- Transfer to loaf pan and top: Spoon the dough mixture into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly, flattening the surface. Sprinkle additional rolled oats on top for texture and visual appeal.
- Bake the bread: Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes. The bread is done when it turns a deep brown color and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the bread: Remove the loaf from the oven and let it rest in the pan for a few minutes. Then transfer the bread onto a wire rack and allow it to cool completely for at least 30 minutes before slicing to ensure clean slices and proper texture.
Notes
- Use a good quality stout ale to impart a rich, malty flavor to the bread.
- Buttermilk can be substituted with milk and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar if unavailable.
- Line the loaf pan with parchment paper for easy removal and better loaf shape.
- Do not overmix the batter to avoid a tough bread texture.
- The bread will keep well wrapped in a tea towel or plastic wrap for up to 3 days.
- For gluten-free adaptation, swap wheat flour with a gluten-free flour blend and ensure oats are certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Irish
