Boston Brown Bread

Put down your phone, turn down Spotify, stop all other tasks, and tell the person next to you to shut up. You are going to want to pay attention to this. Although, I know that since I'm talking about food I probably already have your attention. But I need you to listen and listen closely. This bread might look like nothing special but do not underestimate it. It has extreme flavor. Flavor you didn't even know could exist on this planet. It's rich and dark and delicious. 

I always thought that in order to make a good loaf of bread it had to involve rising and kneading and proofing and this, that, and then some more of this and then letting it rise again. I couldn't have been more wrong. I always leave my bread baking to days when I have absolutely nothing to do because of how long it usually takes me to make a loaf of bread. Now that I know about this bread recipe though I might whip one of these out everyday...well not everyday...who am I kidding, if I could I would make this everyday. As I read through this recipe its simplicity caused me to question it: just mix up all the ingredients and bake it. Wait, What? That's it? Just like that?  

Just like that. There it was. This perfect, dark brown, delicious smelling loaf of bread. I paced around the kitchen for a few minutes waiting for it to cool down, but my anticipation finally got the best of me and I cut a big slice into it. Instantly, I got a nice big whiff of the warm bread. It rocked my world. I slabbed a nice bit of butter on it and shoved it into my mouth. Whoa. I felt happy. Like if I died right then, I would have been fine because I had just eaten a slice of this bread. Alright, that's a little extreme, but it was that good, people. 

Usually, Boston brown bread is cooked in coffee tins and steamed for a couple hours in a pot if water int the oven, so I was skeptical as to how it would turn out baked in a traditional loaf pan. I guess I can't compare the two cooking techniques' results since I have only made it in the loaf pan, but I don't know if this bread could be any moister, even though it's not steamed. With the buttermilk and molasses in this bread, it's soo moist. 

Not only does it taste fantastic but it also makes your house smell like a dream, so that's two very good reasons to try this out for yourself. Plus, this bread will help add some variety to that strict Easter chocolate diet you're on right now.  

Boston Brown Bread
Makes 1 loaf

- 2 cups of whole wheat flour

- 1 cup of all-purpose flour

- 2/3 cup brown sugar

- 2 tsp. baking soda

- 1 tsp. salt

- 1/4 cup molasses

- 2 cups buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour loaf pan, knocking out excess flour. 

2. In large bowl, sift together dry ingredients. 

3. Stir in remaining ingredients until just combined. 

 I spilled.

 

4. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, about 1 hour. 

5. Cool bread in pan for 5 minutes. Turn loaf out onto rack and cool completely (I may or may not have let it cool completely...) before slicing.