Guinness Brown Bread

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

400g wholemeal flour

100g rolled oats, plus 2 tbsp for the topping of the bread

2 tsp bread soda

1 tsp sea salt

330ml Guinness

170ml buttermilk

2 tbsp black treacle

METHOD:

Pre-heat oven to 350oF/180oC.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.

In a large measuring jug whisk together the treacle, buttermilk and Guinness.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and using a fork mix in the wet ingredients. Stir together until combined (the mixture will appear quite wet).

Grease a 1lb loaf tin and tip the bread dough in. Sprinkle one tablespoons of the oats on top. Bake the bread in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes.

Once baked allow to cool on a cooling rack.

I like to serve this as a sharing starter… Guinness treacle brown bread sliced on a wooden board, alongside a platter of the smoked salmon with wedges of lemons and the bowl of dill aioli.