Guinness Bread

This bread is a quick bread, no rising or kneading required. The Guinness imparts a subtle yeast flavour to the bread, making it perfect to be slathered with real butter and topped with dressed prawns, smoked salmon or a sharp mature cheese.

The Guinness, well I think it would be fair to say that Guinness is our national drink. That distinctive ebony body, the creamy top and each glass gilded with golden harp, it is synonymous with all things Irish.


So popular is our national drinks that the Guinness Storehouse was the most visited attraction in Ireland in 2015, a whopping 1. 25 million visitors -1,269,371 to be exact - toured around the famous St. James's Gate brewery. The storehouse opened first in 2000 after a part of the St. James's Gate brewing building was restored and so began it's success.

Although I understand if you would prefer an non alcoholic option, if so omit the Guinness and replace its volume with buttermilk, to be perfectly honest the Guinness is an optional extra because this is bread is just as lovely with or without the stout. Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

Makes 2 Loaves

Ingredients

355g Plain flour* 

155g Wheatbran*

2 tsp Bicarbonate soda

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Brown sugar

1 tbsp Golden syrup

1 tbsp Butter, melted**

150ml Guinness

400ml Buttermilk***

Pinch of porridge oats (optional)

Recipes notes:
*I usually use Hearts Delight Original Wheatmeal flour for baking my brown bread, the plain flour and the wheatbran can both be substituted for 510g of Wheatmeal flour if preferred.  
** Instead of melting the butter, it can be rubbed into the dry ingredients- like when you make shortcrust pastry.
*** On occasion I have been known to substitute buttermilk for half natural yogurt and half full fat milk - usually when I have forgotten to buy some :)

Method

Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/Gas Mark 5/Moderate Oven, grease and line two 1lb loaf tins (approximate external measurements 24½ x 10 x 5½cm) tins -I'm not sure 1lb and 2lb tins have standard measurements, none of mine ever seem to be a standard size, for example both of  my 1lb tins in this post are 22 x 6½ x 11cms - set aside your prepared tins for later. 

Place the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the golden syrup and the melted butter, stir well, it will be difficult to stir in the golden syrup but try to disperse it as much as you can.

Add in the buttermilk and the Guinness to the dry ingredients, stir the mixture thoroughly. Scrape down the sides and stir again, this is a wet mixture, it should drop off your mixing spoon easily.

Pour half of the mixture into each prepared tin and smooth the top of the bread with the back of a spatula or a wet spoon.

Sprinkle the top of each loaf with some porridge oats, an optional extra but well worth it I think.

Place the loaves side by side on the middle shelf of the preheated oven and bake for 50 -60 minutes, ovens vary. I prefer to place both tins on top of a clean baking sheet that was preheated in the oven, I find the bread cooks more evenly, swap the loaves around half way through for even baking.

The loaves should be a deep golden brown colour,well risen and a clean skewer test once cooked. Allow the bread to cool in the tin and cover with a clean tea towel, this prevents the crust becoming too crisp and tearing when you slice it. 

Store in an airtight container, consume within 2-3 days. The bread can be frozen for up to 3 months.

I usually eat this bread with real butter and lashings of smoked salmon.