My brothers and sisters cringed when I told them I was including Irish soda bread in this cookbook. I can’t really blame them. Grandma McKenna used to force it on us when we’d pop by her house after church, as if it were punishment for interrupting her Sunday afternoon cleaning spree. My brother Bill pointed out that Grandma would ask him if he wanted some candy and when he said yes she’d sit him down with a thick slice of Irish soda bread. My brother Frank noted that her solution to gripes was, “Put some butter on it!” Instead, I decided I’d simply update this old-world snack so that it stands a fighting chance against the evolution of tender tastebuds.
Recipe information
Yield
makes one 5-inch round loaf
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 2
In a small bowl, combine the rice milk and vinegar. Set aside.
Step 3
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, raisins, currants, caraway seeds, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, and baking soda. Add the coconut oil, agave nectar, and rice-milk mixture and continue mixing with a rubber spatula until a sticky dough forms.
Step 4
Sprinkle half the reserved flour onto the baking sheet. Form the dough into a ball and sprinkle the top with the remaining reserved flour. Using a sharp knife, make a 1/4-inch-deep incision across the top of the loaf.
Step 5
Bake for 20 minutes, rotate, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes more. Tap the bottom of the loaf; if it sounds hollow, it’s done. Set on a rack to cool.
