This bread is quick to make, requires no yeast and it’s slightly sweet and malty flavour goes great with a sharp farmhouse cheddar or smoked salmon.
It makes great toast for a couple of days after too. All that’s needed is a light hand when mixing it, too much handling will make for a tough loaf.
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250g whole meal flour
250g plain white flour
25g dark soft brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
8g salt
50g porridge oats
50g black treacle
150ml Guinness
40g melted butter
250ml buttermilk
Set your oven to 180C and line a tray with a piece of grease proof paper.
In one bowl mix the two flours, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, oats and salt.
In a separate bowl mix the buttermilk, melted butter, Guinness and treacle.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Gently draw in the dry to the wet using your fingers like a claw, starting from the edge, bringing it all together.
As soon as it is mixed, turn it out onto a lightly floured bench and pat into a round and slightly flatten. Transfer to the tray and with a knife make the traditional cross on the top and dust with a little flour.
Bake for half an hour then turn the oven down to 160C for the last 10 minutes.
Cool for at least half an hour before slicing.