PP Irish Soda Bread
Chef: Shane Martin, Shane and Simple
Makes: 1 loaf, 15-20 slices
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Total Time: 35 min
INGREDIENTS
4 c whole wheat flour (may also use organic unbleached flour or white whole wheat)
2 t baking soda
½ t salt
2 c oat milk
2 T white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 430 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make the “Vegan Buttermilk” and salt, set aside. Simply add the milk and vinegar to a bowl, whisk, and let it sit for a few min. This will give the milk time to curdle.
To a lg mixing bowl add the flour, baking soda, and salt and whisk together. Create a well in the center and pour in the “Vegan Buttermilk”.
Begin to mix the dough with a wooden spoon or spatula at first then, use your hands to knead the dough when it becomes more difficult to mix. Knead the dough inside the mixing bowl for a couple of min until you can form the ball. If the dough is wet and sticky add a little more flour. Be careful not to add too much. If the dough is too dry you bread will turn out dry and dense. You want the dough to be a little sticky so you get a more moist bread.
Transfer the dough to the baking sheet with parchment paper, flatten the dough into a sic until it is about ½” – 1” thick. Then use a serrated knife to cut an “X” on top of the dough and sprinkle a little extra flour on top.
Place in the oven on the center rack and bake for 25-30 min until it is golden, crusty, and cooked all the way through.
You can store this Irish soda bread at room temperature for up to 5 days. To help it stay moist simply wrap it in a clean towel or sore it in an airtight container.
Empty this bread plain as a side with soups, salads, or toast it and add your favorite spread. I love having this with my "Vegan Cream Cheese". Amazing!
TIPS
Use oat milk! I made his bread four times using almond milk and oat milk. Both worked great. The oat milk is just more excellent for baking.
The scored “X” allows the bread to cook evenly all the way through.
Do NOT over knead. You only want to knead the dough enough to form a ball. Too much kneading will cause the bread to be too dense.
Shaping the dough. It is imperative to form the dough into a disc shape about ½” to 1” thick. Because there is no yeast in this bread. If it is too flat it will not rise. If it is too thick, it will NOT rise as well either.
Storing your bread. This bread does NOT keep like regular bread so you cannot freeze it. I would suggest making only what you know you will eat. That being said, you can store it for up to week on the counter underneath a clean towel or in an airtight container.
In January of 2013, two weeks before his 40th birthday, Shane was topping the scales at 300 lbs., dealing with Type 2 diabetes, had a fatty liver, high blood pressure, and his cholesterol was over 400! Depressed, sick, and at the end of his rope, a friend recommended he watch the documentary Forks Over Knives. The next day he went all-in on a plant-based diet and in 3 months dropped 55 lbs., was no longer diabetic, his blood pressure was normal, and his cholesterol dropped over 200 points. To date, Shane has lost over 100 lbs. and is super passionate about helping people when it comes to cooking, eating, and health. Shane likes to tell people, "If this Mississippi-meat-cheese-and-mayonaisse-eating-boy can do it, ANYONE can!" Shane shares healthy vegan recipes that are practical, affordable, that anyone can make and love! Visit Shane’s amazing site at Shane and Simple, Facebook, Pinterest & Instagram.