Soda bread

Soda bread is quick, versatile, and easy to make, involves no kneading and no worries about whether your dough will rise because of the yeast. This version trades the traditional wheat for gluten free flours and produces a chewy crust and a light, lightly sweet crumb. Shown here as a roasted tofu sandwich with spring mix and kale.

Ingredients

1 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup tapioca flour
1T masa harina flour
1T coconut sugar
1T milled flax seed
1t baking powder
1/4t baking soda
Coarse sea salt to taste
1 cup soy milk
1T balsamic vinegar

Optional: Glaze with 1T unsweetened soy milk for a browner crust. Raisins are a common addition. This version uses no oil, but 1T cooking oil with the liquids will yield a flakier crust. Replace the balsamic vinegar with white vinegar if you prefer.

Method

Mix together the dry ingredients. Mix the wet. Mix the dry with the wet until a stable dough forms, form into a ball, but don’t knead. Preheat the oven to 450F (or the highest temperature to which your baking paper is rated). Let the dough rest while the oven warms up.

When the oven is ready, add the dough to the baking sheet lined with baking paper, press down slightly, and cut the top of the loaf with a large cross (or similar design). Bake for 25 – 35 minutes, or until the bread is lightly browned. Ovens vary; use the colour and texture of the bread as a guide. Remove from heat. Cover with a clean tea towel while the bread cools. Slice and serve.

For a more traditional version, replace everything up to and including the flax seed with 2 – 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour. Start with 2 cups and add more flour as necessary. Replace the baking powder and soda with 1t baking soda. Replace the 1T balsamic vinegar with 1/2T balsamic and 1T unpasteurized sauerkraut vinegar if you have it. Adjust the baking time accordingly.