Treacle wheaten bread
This Irish bread is sweeter than soda bread as it contains treacle and buttermilk, but it's just as easy to make as it's also a no-yeast bread that comes together in an hour. Arguably some would say it's even more delicious.
Ingredients
- butter, for greasing and to serve
- polenta, for dusting
- 200g/7oz plain flour
- 200g/7oz wholemeal flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 50g/1¾oz mixed seeds, such as sunflower and pumpkin seeds, plus extra seeds for sprinkling
- 1 tbsp linseeds
- 2 tbsp black treacle
- 500ml/18fl oz buttermilk
- 1 free-range egg
Method
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Grease a loaf tin with butter and spread polenta all over the tin with your hands. This helps to create an even bake and makes it easier for the bread to come away from the tin.
Sift the flours, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the mixed seeds, linseeds, treacle, buttermilk and egg. Combine everything together until it forms a thick, sticky mixture. Spoon the dough into the tin and sprinkle a few more seeds on top.
Bake for 45 minutes–1 hour. Test the bread by either inserting a wooden skewer and seeing if it comes out clean or tapping the top with the base of your knuckles – if it sounds hollow, it is ready. Leave to cool, slice and serve with lots of butter.
