Michelle Darmody: Treacle and oats make for sticky, comforting winter fare

I have fond memories of eating treacle toffee with my grandmother - it was very tasty but not so easy on the teeth.

Treacle Soda Bread: a sweet take on an old favourite

Treacle is a dark, sticky, old-fashioned ingredient that is not used in baking as much as it once was. It gives a very unique flavour with rich, earthy and caramel undertones. Its main function is to add sweetness, but it also adds moisture in baking. 

The almost black, viscous liquid is left behind at the late stages of refining sugar. I have fond memories of eating treacle toffee with my grandmother. She bought it in a local shop, chunks were cut of a big thick slab. It was very tasty but not so easy on the teeth.

Treacle is difficult to pour and to measure, particularly in small quantities. I often heat a spoon in some warm water when I am weighing it and it helps. It pairs very well with oats, particularly at this time of year when a deep hearty cake or biscuit is welcome.

Treacle Soda Bread

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

A sweet take on a quick-bake favourite.

Servings

1

Preparation Time

 30 mins

Cooking Time

 35 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 5 mins

Course

 Baking

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• 200g of plain flour

• 250g of brown flour

• 1 tsp of bread soda, sieved

• 1 tsp of fine sea salt

• 50g of porridge oats

• 2 tbs of treacle

• 100mls of natural yogurt

• 250mls of buttermilk

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees and line a large flat baking sheet with parchment.

2. Mix the flours, bread soda, salt and oats until combined.

3. Mix the treacle, yogurt and buttermilk together.

4. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add in the liquid until combined. Bring it together in the bowl with your hands so you have a slightly sticky but firm ball of dough. Absorption of liquid by flour can vary so you may need to add a little drop more liquid or a very small sprinkling of flour to ensure it is the correct texture so that it forms a ball.

5. Turn the dough onto your prepared baking tray and shape it into a slightly flat circle. Make a cross in the centre with a knife and prick each of the four corners. Once you place it into the oven turn the temperature down to 200 degrees straight away. Bake for about 35 minutes until it has formed a nice crust and you can tap the base to hear a hollow sound. Allow to cool on a rack.