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| Irish Soad Bread made with Kamut flour and raisins |
Soda bread is fast, foolproof and always rewarding. The pleasure of a slice of plain soda bread all toasty and warm is exceeded only by a slice with butter and jam.
I’ve been making soda bread — traditional as well as gussied up versions — for years. I thought this Baking with Julia recipe by Marion Cunningham was a good time to try a grain that’s new to me: Kamut khorasan wheat.
This is not your typical wheat, but an old-country relative of the everyday variety. Kamut is not the type of wheat, but a registered brand the company says guarantees certain attributes of this special wheat.
And what are the special attributes? Not only are the grains significantly larger than that of regular wheat, but they carry more nutrients. This is according to plant scientist Robert M. Quinn whose family developed the wheat from a few grains that hitched a ride from Egypt after World War II. If you follow this link to Quinn’s paper, you can read the wheat’s interesting history.
Because Kamut is not particularly high maintenance when it comes to cultivation and thus is quite suitable for sustainable agriculture. It produces a high quality harvest without reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
As for flavor, it bakes up sweeter than traditional whole wheat flour, which as you know can be a tad bitter. Kamut is said to be more easily digested than common wheat, though it does indeed contain gluten and should not be consumed by persons with celiac disease.
It made a fine soda bread. I followed Marion Cunningham’s recipe, substituting whole Kamut flour for all purpose. I also added a handful of raisins soaked in orange juice.
If you’d like to see the recipe, visit our hosts’ blogs: Cathy of My Culinary Mission and Carla of Chocolate Moosey. Check back on April 3 for the next Tuesdays with Dorie recipe.
Looks beautiful. I never heard of Kamut wheat before.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Judy! I'd heard the name Kamut, but didn't know anything more than that. Glad I saw the package at the supermarket.
Deletenice looking loaf, and I'm impressed it's from a 100% substitution of whole for white flour. Thanks for the info on kamut. I've been using organic emmer flour for similar reasons.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. Most soda bread that I bake is using whole grain flour. Whole wheat flour responds very well do this type of recipe. I've heard of emmer wheat but have never tried it. Must do that soon!
DeleteWow, your bread turned out beautiful! It never occurred to me to bake mine in my cast iron frying pan...great idea. Interesting substituion of the kamut wheat for plain white flour. This is one of those recipes that lends itself to lots of variations.
ReplyDeleteI like your version and it looks so pretty in the cast iron pan!
ReplyDeleteThank you, iluvsweets! I really like using my cast iron pan to make soda bread. It yields a nice strong crust, which is one of the things I enjoy most about soda bread. Whole grain flours work well with this recipe.
ReplyDeleteYour bread looks wonderful in the cast iron pan. Nice presentation.
ReplyDeleteNever heard of Kamut wheat.
~ Carmen
http://bakingismyzen.wordpress.com/2012/03/20/twd-baking-with-julia-irish-soda-bread
Your bread looks delicious…lovely color! I have never heard of Kamut wheat flour…but would love to give it a try after seeing your beautiful bread!
ReplyDeleteThis is a new wheat flour to me. It gives the soda bread such a lovely color. Thank you for educating us about it. Your bread is just beautiful and I love that you made it in your cast iron pan.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea in the cast iron, and the Kamut wheat!! I've been looking into other wheat flour options and a friend had mentioned the Kamut - a wheat that bakes up a little sweeter is definitely a plus for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the background on the kamut. I bake with it, but haven't taken the time to research it.
ReplyDeleteThere used to be a lady I worked with who always swore by cast iron for soda bread. It must have worked, because hers was one of the best I've ever had.