Irish Wholemeal Soda Bread

I loved that bread during my year in Ireland, and now, on my visit in July, it felt like home tasting it again. It has some sweet flavour to it, is just so soft but still rustic and is great with cheese, jam or just plain butter.



For 1 loaf you need:

• 300 ml buttermilk
• 1 tbsp black treacle
• 220 g plain wheat flour
• 220 g wholemeal wheat flour
• 1 tbsp wheat germ
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp ground salt

1. Heat the buttermilk and the treacle in a small saucepan until the treacle has melted.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients and then mix with the buttermilk-treacle-mixture.
3. The dough should be soft but not too sticky.
4. Grease a cake tin and dust with flour, then fill in the dough and cut it lenghthwise.
5. Bake the bread at 190 degrees (Celcius) for about an hour.
6. When it's done, there should be no dough sticking to a wooden skewer and the bread should sound hollow when you knock against the bottom.
7. Once it has cooled off, keep it in a linen bag or on a wooden board underneath a clean kitchen towel.