DOWNEY'S SODA BREAD

Downey's Soda Bread image

Yield Makes 3 (16-inch-long) loaves

Number Of Ingredients 9

5 cups whole-wheat flour (preferably stone-ground)
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces
2 1/4 cups well-shaken buttermilk at room temperature
2 large eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten
Accompaniments: crème fraîche; jam

Steps:

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle.
Blend flours, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and butter in a large bowl with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. 3Stir in buttermilk and eggs until a smooth dough forms. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and divide into 3 pieces. Form each piece into a 16-inch-long log and arrange, evenly spaced, on a lightly floured baking sheet. Generously sprinkle with flour and cut 3 diagonal shallow slashes on each log with a very sharp knife.
Bake 30 minutes, then reduce oven to 375°F and continue to bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted into center of a loaf comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
Transfer loaves to a rack to cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.