A huge fan of the Great British Bake Off, I decided to set myself a challenge to recreate at least one recipe per show in vegan form. I did manage some recipes, but my interest in the challenge tapered off half-way through.
One recipe, which I’m glad I did invest time in was soda bread. My previous experiences with soda bread were disappointing however I watched the show and learned that the buttermillk reaction is critical. So a little bit of research and a little bit of imagination and I entered the kitchen with a positive state of mind. In just over an hour, the result is amazing. Even my omni husband and his best friend loved it.
I think the balance of flavours is just right, however I might be tempted to add 1tsp of both mustard and smoked paprika next time, just for a little more heat. I’ve got some vegan garlic soft cheese in the fridge and I think I’m going to have to try it with that.
Ingredients
- 350g plain flour
- 20g nutritional yeast
- 130g wholemeal flour
- 1 tsp bicarb of soda
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp powdered mustard
- Black pepper
- 60g of soy cheese grated
- Half a red onion finely chopped
- Balsamic vinegar
- 40g soy or vegetable spread melted
- 300ml of soy milk
- 1 tbsp of lemon juice
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180/200 degrees centigrade
- Add the lemon juice to your soy milk and set aside
- Add your chopped onion to a skillet with a little soy or vegetable spread and a little sunflower oil and slowly cook until the onions start to turn brown, add the balsamic vinegar and carefully coat the onion until all moisture has been absorbed – set aside to cool down
- In a bowl mix the plain flour, nutritional yeast, wholemeal flour, bicarbonate of soda, smoked paprika, mustard, black pepper and grated cheese
- Once the onion has cooled down, slowly add it to the dry ingredients, ensuring it is dispersed throughout the mixture as much as possible
- Make a well in the centre of the mixture and add your melted soy/vegetable butter (or use sunflower oil) and enough of the soy milk (which should have started to thicken/curdle with the lemon juice) to make a sticky dough
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently but quickly work it to bring it together into a large ball
- Place it on your baking tray and flatten the dough slightly and then using a wooden spoon or the back of a knife – you want to divide the mixture into four pieces but without completely separating
- Dust with a mixture of nutritional yeast and wholemeal flour and bake in the oven until golden brown (about 30-40 mins) or until the mixture in the centre (where you made the ‘cuts’) is dry
- Soda bread is designed to be eaten immediately, so serve with some pickles and maybe more of your favourite soy cheese or some hummus with a glass of wine! The perfect any season supper!
The Baking Biker Chic 