Irish Brown Bread

A hearty traditional Irish brown bread made with whole wheat flour, wheat germ, and buttermilk. This rustic loaf has a dense, tender crumb and a wonderfully nutty flavor.

8 servings
2 hr

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole-wheat flour
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup toasted wheat germ
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter
  • 2 cups buttermilk

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 9- by 2-inch round cake pan.

    10 min

  2. 2.

    Whisk together flours, wheat germ, salt, sugar, baking soda, and cream of tartar in a large bowl until combined well. Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Make a well in center and add buttermilk, stirring until a dough forms. Gently knead on a floured surface, adding just enough more flour to keep dough from sticking, until smooth, about 3 minutes.

    10 min

  3. 3.

    Transfer dough to cake pan and flatten to fill pan. With a sharp knife, cut an X (1/2 inch deep) across top of dough (5 inches long). Bake until loaf is lightly browned and sounds hollow when bottom is tapped, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack and cool, right side up, about 1 hour.

    100 min