Whole-Wheat and Muesli Soda Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cup muesli (Use unsweetened muesli; because brands vary considerably in weight, weighing is preferred. If using Bob’s Red Mill, use about 1 cup; Familia, 1 1/4 cups; or Alpen, 1 1/2 cups.)
• 1.5 cup buttermilk (Plus more as needed if the dough is exceptionally dry.)
• 1.5 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1.5 cup all-purpose flour (Plus more for the work surface.)
• 1.5 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp fine sea salt

Steps

1. 1

   Position an oven rack in the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch cast-iron skillet. A parchment-lined baking sheet may be used instead, though the bottom crust will be somewhat lighter.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, stir the muesli and buttermilk together until all of the muesli is moistened. Set aside for about 10 minutes so the grains, nuts, seeds, and fruit soften and hydrate.

3. 3

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.

4. 4

   Add the dry ingredients to the soaked muesli mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula just until no dry flour remains. The dough should be thick, sticky, and somewhat shaggy; do not overmix.

5. 5

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With floured hands, gently shape it into a round loaf about 8 inches across. Avoid kneading, which can make the soda bread dense.

6. 6

   Transfer the shaped dough to the prepared skillet. Use a sharp knife to cut a deep cross into the top of the loaf, which helps the center expand as it bakes.

7. 7

   Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, rotating the skillet halfway through, until the loaf is deeply browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. The center should be fully set; an instant-read thermometer should register about 200°F (93°C).

8. 8

   Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let it cool completely to room temperature before slicing. Do not cut it while warm, because the crumb will be gummy and harder to slice cleanly.

Notes

The source states that the loaf is best on the day it is baked. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. Unsweetened muesli made with dried fruit and seeds works well, but avoid muesli with added sugar. The published page is membership-gated, so the ingredient quantities and method above are reconstructed estimates from the available description and standard proportions for this loaf; verify against the author's full recipe when possible.

Nutrition per serving

• bread
• quick bread
• soda bread
• baked
• skillet-baked
• whole-wheat
• vegetarian
• breakfast