SC - Irish Buttermilk Bread - OOP

[Decker, Terry D.]

The buttermilk is getting a little old, I've escaped work this weekend, and
I'm cleaning the kitchen, which is still a wreck from the event a couple of
weeks ago. It's time to have some fun while I suffer.

Bear


Irish Buttermilk Bread  (Makes 3 loaves)

6 cups white flour
1 1/2 cups fine ground oat grits or whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons cream of tartar
4 Tablespoons of butter, melted
3 cups buttermilk

Blend the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
Distribute the butter across the top of the flour.
Add the buttermilk, 1 cup at a time and stir in with a wooden spoon.  The
amount of liquid required is approximate.  If you need additional liquid use
water.

The dough will be a sticky, coarse mass, just above a batter.
Divide the dough between 3 greased, 8 inch cake pans.
Bake in preheated 425 degree F oven until the loaf rise and the top just
starts to brown (about 10 minutes).  Reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and
bake until  golden brown (about 25 minutes).
Remove the loaves and cool on a rack.

Notes:

My batch took 4 1/2 cups of liquid and probably could have used 5 to 5 1/2
cups.  It was thicker than I thought and it made the loaves coarser than I
would like.  I think the consistency needs to be where the dough will not
run at room temperature, but a little heat will allow it to flow slightly. 

I smoothed the dough into the pans with a Pam sprayed spatula.

The high initial heat is necessary to seal the surface of the loaf and allow
the chemical aeration to work properly.  I failed to do this to some soda
bread a few years ago and it made the nastiest lump of baked flour clay.



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