Gluten Free, Dairy Free Irish Soda Bread

The BBC website used to have a great recipe for this staple, which seems to have since disappeared. I hate when this happens, and I also hate when I know I have this most basic gluten free recipe somewhere in my library of recipe books but can't find it. So I went to the experts.

Notes and credits: The recipe below is adapted from 'Soda bread as it's really made in Ireland' with inspiration for modifications taken from Karina, Gluten Free Goddess. She uses her own flour mix and two eggs, while I use Doves Gluten free flour and a mix of egg, ground flax seeds and no oil to cut down on cholesterol. A no egg version can be made by doubling the amount of flax seeds and adding a dash more liquid. I will try the oil and cutting down on milk next time as I think mine took too long in the oven due to the mixture being too "wet", although the final product looks and tastes perfect.

Time: It took about 50-55 minutes I think before it was ready to eat. I'd say preparation took about 10.

Oven temp: 220 degrees C. Switch it on now before you read on.

Things to know before you start: Don't spend too long getting this dough into the oven. Once the milk is added to the flour the bicarb will start to raise, so if you stop halfway to watch the video at the bottom, or answer the phone, you'll wind up with something quite airy and cakey instead of dense and rustic. If you're unsure how the dough should look, scroll down and load the youtube video now.

Dry Ingredients:

• 450g Doves Gluten Free White Bread Flour
• 3 teaspoons sugar (don't panic! The bread won't be sweet: this is to compensate for the extra bicarb)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds. This substitutes an egg and adds fibre. 

Wet Ingredients:

• 300 ml dairy free milk (I used Quirky Cooking's Rice-Almond Milk Recipe for the thermomix)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar - this gives the milk a more buttermilk style taste.
• 1 egg.
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (light, if possible)

First, preheat oven to 220 degrees C. It's important that it's reached the correct temperature before the bread goes in.

Then, combine the dry ingredients first, then whisk the egg in a separate bowl and add it to the flour mixture. Add the apple cider to the milk and add this a little at a time and blend the mixture with a spoon. Doves Flour mixture absorbs more fluid than regular flour, so if you're using a different flour mix, use less and rely on the look of the dough to guide you. What you're aiming for is a mixture that's not quite as dry as to leave the sides of the bowl totally clean (like a scone mix would be), but not sticky either and definitely not sloppy like a normal bread mix. Here's showing you what the final mix should look like from the Irish Soda Bread as it's Made in Ireland page, because they rock!

Once that's done, flour the surface of your baking sheet and flour your hand too then tip out the dough and form into a smooth dome. Sprinkle the surface with more flour, then use a sharp knife to cut a cross figure across the top of the loaf. Not too deep. (again, see video. I will upload pics one day -hangs head in shame)

My oven isn't fan assisted and took around 40 minutes too cook. The bread should look golden brown.

See Also: This recipe from La Tartine Gourmande, which uses quinoa, millet and sweet rice flour, all of which can be made in the Thermomix. This would be more nutritious and higher in fibre, but the flour won't be as fine.