Brown Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups whole wheat flour (laal ata), or 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons old fashioned rolled oats (optional)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) buttermilk (soured milk): 1 1/2 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar, cider vinegar, or lemon juice to 1 1/2 cup of milk at room temperature. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before using.



Procedure:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, oats, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add most of the buttermilk. Using yours hands, or a wooden spoon, mix (adding more buttermilk if necessary) until you have a soft moist dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough into a 7 inch (18 cm) round that is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.

Place the round on your prepared baking sheet and then, with a sharp knife or clean kitchen scissors, cut a 1/4 inch deep "X" across the top of the bread.

Bake for about 40 - 50 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.

Makes one seven inch (18 cm) round soda bread.





Source: http://www.joyofbaking.com/IrishSodaBread.html