STEPHANIE'S SLICE OF LIFE

While visiting Ireland recently I became obsessed with their Brown Bread. It was served with so many different meals in restaurants, and they were all slightly different. When I got back from vacation I was on a quest to make my own. This recipe is the third I have tried, and it is delicious! It isn’t exactly like what I personally tasted in Ireland, but it is a keeper.

It is sweet enough to eat on its own, but not too sweet that you can’t dip it in a bowl of soup. That is what I have been looking for, a soup dipping brown bread and it was perfect.

I used Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout and that is the Stout I will continue to use as I loved this bread flavor so much. You can use Guinness, or any Stout you prefer, but it may change the flavor.

Let’s get baking!

Ingredients:

3 cups whole wheat flour, preferably stone ground

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp kosher salt

2 tbsp butter, cubed

1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup stout, I used Oatmeal Stout

1/3 cup blackstrap molasses

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a metal loaf pan with cooking spray. Line the long side with parchment paper, then spray the paper with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center, set aside.

Using your hands, incorporate the butter into the dry mixture until the pieces are very small. I would rather use a pastry cutter, but using your hands really does make a difference.

In a separate mixing bowl whisk together the buttermilk, Stout, and molasses.

Pour the wet ingredients into the center (well) of the dry ingredients.

Stir the mixture together until just combined, don’t over mix.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle some extra oats on the top.

Bake for 40 – 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Using the overhanging parchment paper, transfer the bread to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!