Irish Brown Bread
A rustic, dense quick bread with whole wheat flour and a tender crumb. No yeast or long rising required—ready from mixing bowl to table in under an hour.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 8
- Calories
- 195
- Protein
- 5g
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1.5 cups whole milk or buttermilk
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Position a rack in the lower-middle section so the bottom of the bread gets direct heat. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1.5 teaspoons baking soda, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt. The baking soda will react with the acidic milk, creating carbon dioxide bubbles that give the bread its light structure.
- 3
Cut 2 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter into small cubes and scatter them over the flour mixture. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. This creates pockets of steam for a tender crumb.
- 4
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in 1.5 cups of whole milk or buttermilk (buttermilk adds tang and reacts faster with the baking soda, but whole milk works perfectly too).
- 5
Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula just until a shaggy dough forms — do not overmix. Overworking develops gluten, which makes the bread tough and dense. You should see some dry flour still visible; this is fine and actually desirable.
- 6
Lightly dust your work surface with whole wheat flour. Turn the dough out onto the surface and gently gather it into a rough ball with floured hands — handle it as little as possible. The dough will be slightly sticky and rustic-looking.
- 7
Place the dough ball on the prepared baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross into the top of the loaf, going about halfway through the dough. This cut allows steam to escape and helps the bread rise evenly. The Irish believe the cross lets the fairies bless the bread.
- 8
Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven. Bake on the lower-middle rack for 30–35 minutes. The bread is done when the top is deep golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped with your knuckle. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 205–210°F.
- 9
Remove the bread from the oven and transfer it to a wire cooling rack. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing — the crumb is still setting during this time, and slicing too early will cause it to tear and compress.
- 10
Slice the bread with a serrated bread knife using a gentle sawing motion. Serve warm or at room temperature with softened butter, jam, or alongside a bowl of Irish stew. Wrap any leftovers in a tea towel to keep the crust soft.
Tools you’ll need
- oven
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- large mixing bowl
- whisk
- wooden spoon or sturdy spatula
- sharp knife
- wire cooling rack
- instant-read thermometer
- serrated bread knife
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