Rye, Ale & Honey Bread Recipe
The Cupcake Bloke has done it again with this perfect bread bake, ideal for sandwiches. I wanted to create a bread that worked really well with baked ham and cold meats. My Dad was a pork butcher, so it’s only natural that he is the inspiration for this recipe.
He loves a pint of Smithwicks and with a surname like Herterich, I had to look to Germany for some inspiration. I’ve used rye flour and lots of seeds, like so many good German breads. I love this bread served with honey and mustard baked ham along with some good salted butter, gherkins, and mustard. Pass the Kölsch – prost!
Ingredients (Makes 1 x 900g / 2lb loaf):
- Melted butter, for greasing the tin
- 300g dark rye flour
- 150g plain flour, plus extra for dusting the tin
- 100g pumpkin seeds, plus extra to sprinkle on top
- 1 tsp bread soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 250ml buttermilk
- 250ml ale
- 75g honey
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan (350°F).
- Prepare a 900g (2lb) loaf tin by lightly brushing it with melted butter and dusting with a little plain flour.
- Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and gently mix.
- In a separate jug, whisk all the wet ingredients together with a fork, then mix this into the dry ingredients.
- Pour the dough into the prepared tin and sprinkle some porridge oats on top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour.
- Remove the bread from the tin and place it directly on the oven rack for a further 5 minutes to crisp the crust.
- To check if it’s baked, tap the bottom of the bread; it should sound hollow when fully cooked.
- Remove from the oven and wrap in a clean tea towel while cooling to stop the crust from getting too hard.
About the Author
Graham Herterich learned to cook as a young child at his Granny’s side and developed his love affair with baking early on. He continued his training in Culinary Arts at Waterford Institute of Technology, with experience at renowned restaurants and hotels such as Kilkee Castle, Marlfield House, Mount Juliet, Chapter One, Peacock Alley, and The Commons.
Graham briefly left the industry to spend two years as part of the Carmelite community before returning at age 21. In 2012, he founded The Cupcake Bloke and opened his first retail store, The Bakery, in Rialto, Dublin, in 2018. Passionate about flavor and quality, Graham brings an element of fun to his food.
“Bake: Traditional Irish Baking with Modern Twists” is his first book, published by Nine Bean Rows and available at all good bookshops and many independent retailers throughout Ireland, as well as online at ninebeanrowsbooks.com.
Originally published in 2022, updated in September 2025.
https://www.irishcentral.com/culture/food-drink/irish-traditional-bread-recipe-rye-ale-honey