Dairy/Soya/Egg-free Fruit and Nut Soda Bread

Dairy-free, Soya-free, Egg-free

Serves: 10 people

Calories per serving: 350

 

I love soda bread. When I discovered it years and years ago it was a revelation to me! Here was a bread that required no kneading, took minutes to throw together with very cheap ingredients, and actually tasted delicious! I could eat it every morning for breakfast smothered in butter and sometimes jam. It's just wonderful, and so healthy.

Over the years I've had a couple of soda bread recipes that I've made regularly. One is a plain soda bread made with milk and oats; the other is a fruit and nut soda bread made with apple juice and ground walnuts. Both are delicious. For this recipe I've amalgamated the two, made a few changes, and made the whole thing dairy/soya-free. I'm really pleased with the result. This might be my new favourite soda bread recipe.

Ingredients: 

• 250g plain flour
• 250g plain wholemeal flour
• 100g rough oats
• 100g walnut pieces
• 200g sultanas
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 400ml almond milk
• 25g non-dairy, non-soya spread
• 1 tbsp lemon juice 

Method:

• Mix together the almond milk and lemon juice and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas Mark 4. Scatter some flour onto a large baking tray.
• Place the flours, salt, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and oats into a large bowl. Rub in the spread until it's dispersed.
• Stir in the sultanas and walnuts.
• Make a well in the centre and add the almond milk. Stir together and then turn out on a floured board and knead for literally seconds until the mix comes together into a rough dough. (It doesn't matter if it's a little sticky).
• Place onto the floured baking tray and cut a large cross into the dough, almost all the way to the bottom.
• Place in the oven and bake for around 45 minutes. The bread will sound hollow when tapped underneath when it's cooked. 
• To give it an extra crispy outside place a clean, damp tea towel over the top as it cools.