Anna's Homemade Brown bread
Shared by Eileen · 30 October 2026
The story behind the recipe
Our Mam always made brown bread on a regular basis. When I was very small I used to "help" her with the baking. She taught me how to make her recipe, but she always used soured milk, for better flavour and the acidity for the bread soda. I've tweaked it slightly now,with the addition of oat flakes and seeds.
- Eileen
Ingredients
450g Gem plain flour 250g bran 50g porridge flakes 1 teaspoon milled seeds(flax,chia,sunflower or preference) 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon Gem bread soda 1 teaspoon Gem caster sugar 1 litre full fat milk(slightly soured or buttermilk).
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180ºC 2. Grease and line 2×2lb loaf tins 3. Sieve flour, salt,bread soda together in large bowl, add in bran and sugar and mix well 4.Make a well in centre and gradually add in the milk, and combine with your hand, until all liquid is used or all ingredients come together to form a wet but soft dough. 5. Turn out onto floured surface and knead, cutting the mixture into 2 soft balls of dough. Knead quickly but carefully,and out into greased tins. 6. Using a wet knife,cut a line into the surface of the dough, milk wash optional. Sprinkle some extra seeds or porridge flakes on top. 7. Bake in preheated oven, now at 170ºC,on middle shelf, for approx 40mins. 8. After 35mins, check if baked by removing from tins and tapping the base. If they sound hollow, finish in oven out of tins for the last 5 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool on wire rack. For a softer crust, cover with a clean tea-towel. 9. Leave to cool before slicing and enjoy