Spent Grain Soda Bread

With St. Patty's Day right around the corner there is no better use for your Black & Tan spent grains than turning them into a noble loaf of Irish Soda Bread.

Moist, dense, with a light lactic tang and studded with raisins this bread is the perfect companion for soaking up the alcohol from your St. Patty's Day indulgences.

And if you need a little help practicing your pour check out our Black & Tan Video.

WHAT YOU NEED

• 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose unbleached flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup spent grain, dried [How to Dry Spent Grain]
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold butter
• 1 cup raisins, soaked in water for 15 minutes and drained
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk (or, 1 1/4 cup milk with 2 teaspoon lemon juice mixed in)
• 1 egg, slightly beaten

WHAT YOU DO

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, and butter a 9X13 inch loaf pan.

2. Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

3. Using a pastry blender (or just your fingers) work the butter into small pea-sized chunks within your flour mixture. Stir in drained raisins and dried spent grain.

4. Add the buttermilk and egg to the flour mixture. Stir until well moistened, making sure you have no pockets of flour hiding in your dough.

5. Pour into your buttered pan. Pop it in the oven! Bake for 1 hour, checking at 45 minutes to make sure your loaf isn't browning too much. Remove from the oven and cool. Enjoy topped with butter or jam, and alongside a Black and Tan.