Irish Soda Bread is quick to make with only a few ingredients. Making it vegan is easy adding apple cider vinegar to plant milk. The soda part of the bread is typically from baking soda. If you are looking to reduce or avoid sodium in your diet, baking soda is something to look out for. It packs a big sodium punch with 600mg in 1/2 teaspoon. Here we have replaced the sodium with sparkling water that is sodium free.
Ingredients
4 cups flour*
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 cups unsweetened soy milk or other plant milk
1 cup sparkling water
*Gluten or Gluten-free Flours:
- For the Gluten-Free version, we use Gluten-Free flour plus xanthan gum if your GF flour does not have any in it. Use 1 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum added to 4 cups of flour.
- If using wheat flour, we recommend organic Einkorn. We use 2 cups white and 2 cups whole Organic Einkorn Flour.
Optional Ingredients:
1/2 cup raisins
2 Tablespoons light colored, unsweetened jam. We use our own Apricot Butter.
Directions
- In a small bowl pour in 3/4 cups soy milk. Add the apple cider vinegar but do not stir. Set it aside.
- Preheat oven to 400oF. Line a baking dish with a sheet of baking paper.
- Place 3 3/4 cups flour* in a large bowl. Save 1/4 for kneading and dusting the top when finished.
- After a few minutes the vinegar will start to curdle and thicken the milk. Give the milk a stir and pour it in the center of the flour. Mix together to form a very crumbly mix.
- If using raisins and a jam, add them to the flour, kneading to incorporate.
- Add in the sparkling water. Gently mix it in with the other ingredients. Use your hands to knead the dough.
Gluten-Free flour will be wetter than the wheat flour version. This is okay. Once the soda water is added and kneaded into the dough it will likely sticky. Dust hands with a little of the remaining 1/4 cup of flour and add the rest to the dough. Gently knead to incorporate but keep enough flour on the outside to keep dough dry enough to manage. - Scoop up the dough and place it on the baking paper-lined sheet pan. Press it into a flat round, about 6 inches wide. With a knife cut a cross into the top, about 1/2 inch deep. Dust with a little flour and/or some rolled oats.
- Bake for 40 minutes or longer. (Baking time varies by location, and the flours you use) Make sure the top does not get too dark. Remove the bread and tap the bottom. It should make a hollow sound if it is done. Turn the oven heat off. If making the gluten-free version allow the bread to set in the hot oven for another ten minutes.
- Remove bread form oven and let it cool down a little before slicing.