Veda is a malted loaf that is part of daily life in Northern Ireland, where it is now chiefly produced. Legend tells of a Northern Irish cleaning woman who accidentally used wheat that had grown damp and sprouted into malt, producing a sweet, nutty bread by happy mistake. Soft and caramel-dark with a distinctive malty tang, it is a teatime staple, especially good toasted and thickly buttered.
Soft and slightly springy with a moist, dense crumb and a deep malty sweetness that hints at toffee. Toasted and buttered, the malt notes intensify into something almost caramelized. It's quietly addictive, lovely with a strong cup of tea.
Malt extract supplies both fermentable sugars that feed the yeast and the residual sugars and dark color that give the loaf its sweet, caramelized character. A long prove develops a soft, fine crumb in the enriched dough.
Variations
Sliced and toasted, made with wholemeal for a denser loaf, with added raisins, served with jam or cheese
On the Palate
Where Veda Bread sits in the Irish flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 8How it's made
8 steps · 20 min
- 13 min
Warm the milk and stir in the malt extract until dissolved.
Watch outStir the malt extract into warm — not hot — milk until fully dissolved; too hot and you'll kill the yeast when it goes in.
- 22 min
Mix the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl.
- 35 min
Pour in the malty milk and bring together into a sticky dough.
- 410 min
Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
- 560 min
Cover and leave to rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
Watch outLet it rise until truly doubled and puffy — this enriched dough is slow, and a short prove gives a tight, heavy crumb.
- 64 min
Knock back, shape into a small loaf and place in a tin.
- 745 min
Prove again until risen, then brush the top with more malt for shine.
- 830 min
Bake at 200C until dark, domed and hollow-sounding, about 30 minutes.
Watch outIt's done when the loaf is dark, domed, and sounds hollow tapped on the base — a dull thud means the center is still doughy.
