Just in time for St, Patrick's Day, Irish Brown Bread!
The Back Story
One of my favorite mystery writers is Carlene O'Connor. The mystery series about Siobhán O'Sullivan and Macdaras Flannery, garda in County Cork, Ireland is where I was introduced to brown bread. Siobhán's family runs a restaurant and in addition to be a garda, she makes the brown bread. I'd heard of soda bread but not brown soda bread (just read it is sometimes called that). I decided it was something I wanted to try.
And it just so happens to be St. Patrick's Day, what timing. I just finished reading the Gemma's Bigger Bolder Baking cookbook and will be using Mum's Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe (Brown Bread).
The recipe includes Whole Wheat Flour along with the All-Purpose Flour making the "brown" color. It is a quick bake, mixing everything in a bowl, no real kneading and bake. With the whole wheat flour and oats sprinkled on top it "feels" healthier than other bread. According to the Bigger Bolder Baking recipe, there are is protein and fiber with 26 g net carbs for a 8 g serving. Is that healther? Depends on the bread you're comparing to. Either way, a bread that definitely should be included in the bread baking rotation.
The Result
Pulling the bread out of the oven I was so excited to see it at least looked like brown bread. Now, how does it taste? O.M.G. Yummy! Add a bit of Kerrygold Salted Butter and I am in heaven.
Will I Make It Again
You bet! And not just for St. Patrick's Day.
You might also like: Dutch Oven Irish Soda Bread