Irish Wheaten Bread

Please click here to download the recipe

Note from Teresa
You can use a blend of,
course, medium or fine wholemeal wheat flours.
You can even add in a quantity of white flour.
This recipe requires a total of 340gm/ 12oz   flour.
My preferred mix is…

Ingredients
225gm / 8 oz  Medium wholemeal wheat flour
115gm / 4oz   White flour or fine wholemeal
1 teaspoon   Baking soda (bicarbonate of soad)
1 teaspoon  Sugar
½ teaspoon  Salt
½ teaspoon Cream of tartar  ( baking powder will do)
285ml/½ pint  Buttermilk or natural yoghurt blended with ordinary milk
Mixing them together to  get the same thick consistency of buttermilk.
If you use full fat yoghurt or full fat milk this makes a richer loaf.

Preheat the oven to 185°C and put the rack in the middle of the oven.
You can make the bread using either a 1lb loaf tin or cook the bread on a flat tray.

Method
• Mix ALL the dry ingredients together, fluffing up the flour to add air around the flour grains
• Make a well in center of the flour and add half of the buttermilk, stirring until mixed. Add another half and mix again. Finally add the remainder until you have a stiff wet looking dough that has come together in a big lump.
• Spoon into a lined or greased loaf tin and place in the oven
OR
• Turn onto a lightly floured surface and bring the dough into an oval shape.
• DO NOT OVER KNEAD….. There is NO NEED TO KNEAD Irish.
• Flatten down to about 2 inches tall.
• Dust the tray with extra course flour or porridge oats or line with non stick baking paper.
• Place the  oval dough onto lined tray or oats
• Cut a cross (2cm or ½ inch deep) on the top of the dough. No need to do this to the loaf tin!
• Bake in hot oven for 40 minutes.
• Check after 30 to make sure it is NOT burning.
• Turn out onto the rack to cool.
• Wrap in a clean damp tea towel to soften the crust.

This bread is free from preservatives; it will keep for up to 3 days in a cool place. Suitable for freezing

(This recipe for wholemeal wheaten bread uses flours that are high in fibre. Wholemeal grains are a source of B vitamins. The fat content is low and can be adjusted higher or lower by altering the recipe. You could experiment using wholemeal Spelt flours, which have a fine consistency. )