Treacle (Molasses) Bread

Calorie Content: Calories don’t count on this one.

Nothing beats a thick slice of Treacle Bread while out on the trails in this cool weather. It’s a comfort food, too - toasted and buttered along with a cup of hot tea in the quiet, early morning hours while the November hoarfrost outside sparkles like a billion diamonds in the rising sun.

Ingredients:

 Musical ingredient: Itinerant Band (or some other Americana-type music)

3 cups low-protein flour *

1 cup plain cake flour *

1 tablespoon brown sugar

3 tablespoons molasses (warmed so that it flows and mixes easier)

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (2 T to mix add into the batter, 1 T to brush on baked loaf)

1 ½ cups buttermilk

Recommended tea: Irish Breakfast tea, definitely Irish Breakfast on this one.

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2.     Add the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix thoroughly.

3.     Add 2 tablespoons of melted butter and mix.

4.     To another bowl, combine the buttermilk and warmed molasses and mix.

5.     Combine the buttermilk/molasses to the dry ingredients and butter.  Stir until the dough starts to come together.

6.     Transfer to a flour-coated flat surface and knead the dough about a dozen times until cohesive (will still be a bit rough).

7.     Shape into a round loaf about 7 inches in diameter and about 3 inches high.

8.     Place on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.

9.     Lightly score the top of the load with a knife (typically in a cross form).

10.  Place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. The times may vary - when done, the loaf will be light brown, and a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf will come out clean.

11.  Remove loaf from oven and brush the top with the remaining melted butter.

12.  Let cool for about a half hour before eating.

Notes:

(*) If plain cake flour is unavailable, use the low-protein flour for a total of 4 cups flour. Plain (without the added leavener) cake flour is finely ground. It will help make this Irish Treacle Bread a little less dense than if made in the traditional way.

Use low protein flour. Gold Medal and Pillsbury flour is usually low-protein while King Authur flour is usually high-protein. Read the label to make sure.

Low protein flour does not make as much gluten in the mixing/kneading process and is best suited for soda breads (which this is one type). High protein is best suited for yeast breads.