So this is a black currant Irish soda bread I’ve made before, but I wanted to try out a new flour that’s local to me and I didn’t want Thanksgiving being the test subject.

So here’s the first loaf of “Trailblazer”. (Don’t worry about the melting butter, I put a plate under it after taking the pic!)

Trailblazer Bread Flour

  If you’re looking for a single bread flour, go with Trailblazer. It has a clean flavor and is a favorite among our many customers, including Tartine and Grand Central Bakery. 

Cairnspring Mills (cairnspring.com)

I really WANTED to try their Organic Whole Grain Expresso flour, but was unable to source it locally.

Organic Whole Grain Expresso Bread Flour

The Whole Grain, unsifted version of our Organic bread flour.

Cairnspring Mills (cairnspring.com)

Butter melted and first slice, damn that’s a good bread!

Ingredients

4 cups [480g+, see note!] flour
    1 tsp baking soda
    1 tsp salt
    1 cup [150g] dried currants (see note)
    1 3/4 Cup [14ounces / 415ml] buttermilk
    1-2 pats of butter (optional)

Instructions

Soak the dried fruit in cold water for 30 minutes. If you don’t, they’ll pull the moisture out of the bread making it too dry. I did 1/2 currants, 1/2 cranberries.

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl.

Add dried currants and mix with a wooden spoon.

Add the buttermilk and mix with a wooden spoon until it forms a sticky dough. If the dough is overly sticky, add a little more flour.

Knead dough a few times in the mixing bowl or on a floured surface until it forms a round loaf. It will start out sticky and crumbly but after you knead it a few times, the dough will come together.

Shape dough into a round and place in a Dutch oven with a lid.

Cut two criss-cross slices into the top of the bread with a knife (see photo above). Brush the leftover buttermilk over the top of the bread.

Bake covered for 30 minutes at 425F/215C and then about 15 minutes uncovered. The bread is done when golden brown and the internal temp is 180F/82C.

Let bread cool on a wire rack. Place a couple pats of butter over the bread and let them melt as the bread cools.

Notes

If you weigh ingredients >> Start with 480g of flour and add more as needed. If you use buttermilk, you should be fine with 480g of flour and 415ml of buttermilk. A few more sprinkles of flour might be needed as you knead it. If you use milk + vinegar instead of buttermilk, start with half of the milk and add more as needed.

If you use a buttermilk alternative >> I’ve found that real buttermilk works the best in this recipe and with the amount of flour indicated. If you use a buttermilk alternative (e.g. milk + vinegar), you’ll likely need less of it. Start with half of what’s listed in the recipe and add more a little at a time. If you add too much milk and the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour.

Buttermilk alternative >> mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or distilled white vinegar with 1 3/4 cup fresh 2% milk and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Or thin yogurt or sour cream with some milk until you have 1 3/4 cup.

In place of dried currants >> you can use raisins, dried cranberries, etc. Or make it plain.

Damn, it looks like you’re on a roll!

So this is a black currant Irish soda bread I’ve made before, but I wanted to try out a new flour that’s local to me and I didn’t want Thanksgiving being the test subject.

So here’s the first loaf of “Trailblazer”. (Don’t worry about the melting butter, I put a plate under it after taking the pic!)

Trailblazer Bread Flour

  If you’re looking for a single bread flour, go with Trailblazer. It has a clean flavor and is a favorite among our many customers, including Tartine and Grand Central Bakery. 

Cairnspring Mills (cairnspring.com)

I really WANTED to try their Organic Whole Grain Expresso flour, but was unable to source it locally.

Organic Whole Grain Expresso Bread Flour

The Whole Grain, unsifted version of our Organic bread flour.

Cairnspring Mills (cairnspring.com)

Butter melted and first slice, damn that’s a good bread!

Ingredients

4 cups [480g+, see note!] flour
    1 tsp baking soda
    1 tsp salt
    1 cup [150g] dried currants (see note)
    1 3/4 Cup [14ounces / 415ml] buttermilk
    1-2 pats of butter (optional)

Instructions

Soak the dried fruit in cold water for 30 minutes. If you don’t, they’ll pull the moisture out of the bread making it too dry. I did 1/2 currants, 1/2 cranberries.

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl.

Add dried currants and mix with a wooden spoon.

Add the buttermilk and mix with a wooden spoon until it forms a sticky dough. If the dough is overly sticky, add a little more flour.

Knead dough a few times in the mixing bowl or on a floured surface until it forms a round loaf. It will start out sticky and crumbly but after you knead it a few times, the dough will come together.

Shape dough into a round and place in a Dutch oven with a lid.

Cut two criss-cross slices into the top of the bread with a knife (see photo above). Brush the leftover buttermilk over the top of the bread.

Bake covered for 30 minutes at 425F/215C and then about 15 minutes uncovered. The bread is done when golden brown and the internal temp is 180F/82C.

Let bread cool on a wire rack. Place a couple pats of butter over the bread and let them melt as the bread cools.

Notes

If you weigh ingredients >> Start with 480g of flour and add more as needed. If you use buttermilk, you should be fine with 480g of flour and 415ml of buttermilk. A few more sprinkles of flour might be needed as you knead it. If you use milk + vinegar instead of buttermilk, start with half of the milk and add more as needed.

If you use a buttermilk alternative >> I’ve found that real buttermilk works the best in this recipe and with the amount of flour indicated. If you use a buttermilk alternative (e.g. milk + vinegar), you’ll likely need less of it. Start with half of what’s listed in the recipe and add more a little at a time. If you add too much milk and the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour.

Buttermilk alternative >> mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or distilled white vinegar with 1 3/4 cup fresh 2% milk and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Or thin yogurt or sour cream with some milk until you have 1 3/4 cup.

In place of dried currants >> you can use raisins, dried cranberries, etc. Or make it plain.

This looks really really good, crusty on the outside and soft on the inside.

Reminds me of those thin rustic slices with big sugar that you see at fancy brunch joints.

Not sure what they’re called but this is the best picture I could find.