Name: Brown Soda Bread with Currants and Caraway
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Ingredients: 2 cups (10 ounces/283 grams) all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 cups (8 1/4 ounces/234 grams) whole-wheat flour; 1 cup dried currants; 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ; 3 tablespoons sugar; 1 tablespoon caraway seeds; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 3/4 cups buttermilk; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted

Why This Recipe Works

To make a brown soda bread with good wheaty flavor but not a gummy, dense texture, we started by finding the right ratio of whole-wheat to all-purpose flour. Toasted wheat germ bumps up the sweet, nutty flavor of the whole wheat and adds texture. Baking powder, in addition to the traditional baking soda, guarantees a hearty—not heavy—loaf. A touch of sugar and a few tablespoons of butter keep our bread wholesome but not health-foody, and brushing a portion of the melted butter on the loaf after baking gives it a rich crust.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, currants, wheat germ, sugar, caraway seeds, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in large bowl. Combine buttermilk and 2 tablespoons melted butter in 2-cup liquid measuring cup.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until dough just comes together. Turn out dough onto lightly floured counter and knead until cohesive mass forms, about 8 turns. Pat dough into 7-inch round and transfer to prepared sheet. Using sharp serrated knife, make ¼-inch-deep cross about 4 inches long on top of loaf. Bake until skewer inserted in center comes out clean and loaf registers 195 degrees, 45 to 50 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking.

Remove bread from oven. Brush evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter. Transfer loaf to wire rack and let cool for at least 1 hour. Serve.