Homemade Irish Soda Bread – Vegan version

👨‍🍳 Method

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F).

   ⚙ Preheating the OvenOven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
2. 2
   Mix the unsweetened soy milk with the vinegar and let stand 5 minutes, until the unsweetened soy milk sours and thickens slightly.
3. 3
   Sift the flour and baking soda into a large bowl and stir in the salt and sugar.

   BowlSifter
4. 4
   Make a well in the center, pour in the unsweetened soy milk mixture and mix quickly, just until a soft, even dough forms, without kneading.

   Wooden spoon

   💡The baking soda starts releasing gas as soon as it meets the sour liquid: mix quickly and put it in the oven right away, without kneading, because kneading makes the bread tough.
5. 5
   With floured hands, shape the dough into a ball and place it on a floured baking sheet.

   Baking pan
6. 6
   Score a deep cross on top of the loaf with a sharp knife.

   Knife

   💡The deep score lets the heat into the center of the thick loaf: the bread bakes evenly and opens nicely into four.
7. 7
   Bake 35–40 minutes, until the bread is browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

   ⚙ BakingOvenBaking pan

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.