Known as one of the most mouth-watering events on the Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA) calendar, the National Brown Bread Baking Competition final gives home bakers from across the country the opportunity to showcase their talents in the hope of being crowned champion.<\/p>\n
Seasoned bakers from far and wide were up at the crack of dawn this morning to deliver their freshly baked bread to the ICA headquarters, An Grian\u00e1n, in Termonfeckin, Co Louth.<\/p>\n
While every competitor put their ‘best loaf’ forward, only three finalists could secure a place at the live bake-off at the National Ploughing Championships this September.<\/p>\n
Perfecting the ultimate brown bread recipe may be no easy task, but judging the entries can be just as challenging.<\/p>\n
With such a high standard on display, selecting the finalists proved difficult, according to this year’s judge, TV chef and SETU lecturer Edward Hayden.<\/p>\n
He said: “We’ve had some wonderful breads here today, and I have to say the standard has been really, really high. Some exemplary brown bread loaves have been put forward for adjudication.<\/p>\n
“Some have been baked very, very early this morning before the ladies got on the road. Some were baked last night.<\/p>\n
“There were great levels of aeration, excellent cutting, freshness and flavour. Certainly, the standard has been very, very high, and I’m sure as we move onwards to the Ploughing Championships, the bread will continue to rise.”<\/p>\n
‘A nice even crust all around’<\/p>\n
Despite many impressive entries, Anna May McHugh, Managing Director of the National Ploughing Association, said there are certain qualities that make a loaf stand out from the rest.<\/p>\n
“It has to be well cooked through and through, with a nice even crust all around,” she said.<\/p>\n
“And even when you feel it, it can feel spongy, but that is likely a winner,” she added.<\/p>\n
ICA National President Mary D’Arcy agreed, saying “a light hand” along with “a nice texture and taste” can elevate a simple brown loaf.<\/p>\n
More than 50 years since it first began, the competition continues to rise to the occasion, with this year’s event proving more popular than ever.<\/p>\n
Ms D’Arcy said the competition has stood the test of time.<\/p>\n
“It’s going on since the mid-’70s, and brown bread, as everybody knows, is an Irish staple, so there’s great interest in brown bread and the competition is fairly intense, to be honest.<\/p>\n
“Brown bread has always been there, and people have always loved it.”<\/p>\n
While every baker hoped to secure a place in the final round at the National Ploughing Championships, there could only be three winners.<\/p>\n
Ann Lotus from Co Mayo, Bernadette Ennis from Co Westmeath and Geraldine Maguire from Co Meath were named this year’s ICA finalists and will now compete in the live bake-off at the National Ploughing Championships from 15 – 17 September.<\/p>\n
All three finalists said they were “absolutely stunned” to have been selected.<\/p>\n
Ms Maguire, who had previously reached the preliminary rounds twice before, said she had been up since 4.15am baking her winning loaf, describing the achievement as “third time lucky”.<\/p>\n
The overall winner will receive \u20ac5,000 and a NEFF Slide & Hide oven, the model made famous by The Great British Bake Off.<\/p>\n
The semi-finals will take place at the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly, on 15 and 16 September, before Ireland’s best brown bread baker is crowned at the grand final on 18 September.<\/p>\n
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