Instructions

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a sturdy baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and place the lined sheet in the oven to heat while you prepare the dough.
• In a large bowl, stir together the 2 1/4 cups (250 g) whole wheat flour and the 2 3/4 cups (120 g) wheat bran or wheat germ (or a combination).
• In a separate bowl, sift or whisk together the 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add this flour mixture to the large bowl with the whole wheat flour and bran/germ and stir to combine.
• Cut the 2 ounces (60 g) butter into small pieces and add them to the combined flour mixture. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter distributed throughout.
• Stir in the 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) buttermilk and the 2 teaspoons molasses until the dough is uniformly damp and comes together. The dough will be somewhat sticky.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured countertop and knead gently for about 20–30 seconds, just until the dough forms a smooth ball. If you prefer two smaller loaves, divide the dough into two equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball.
• Wearing oven mitts, remove the preheated baking sheet from the oven and set it on a heatproof surface. Transfer the shaped loaf (or loaves) onto the hot lined baking sheet. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut a cross about 1 inch (3 cm) deep into the top of each loaf.
• Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for about 45 minutes for a single loaf, or until the top is firm and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. If baking smaller loaves, begin checking for doneness after about 25 minutes.
• Remove the loaf (or loaves) from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely for 1 hour before slicing.