Cherry Almond Oat Soda Bread

St. Patrick’s day was yesterday. I usually make a soda bread filled with orange zest and currants, but as I don’t have currants in the pantry, it just didn’t happen.

I woke up this morning with a loaf of sourdough to bake and I’m not very pleased with how it turned out. I realized I put too much water in this morning’s loaf when I forgot to account for the 100g of water I had initially mixed my starter with. Oh well. I started another round of dough with the correct amount of water and it is happily bubbling away on my counter as I type.

This recipe has been bouncing around in my noggin for a little while. Our friends Kim and John introduced us to an Amish discount grocery store and prices are insanely low… like 79 cents for almond paste low. Of course I threw 5 in my cart the last time we were there. I have to hide it from Liz and Kai, because they’ll just eat it straight out of the package, but two survived and this is how I’ve decided to use it.

This does have a little bit of a wait time as the oats need to soften in the soy “buttermilk”, but while you get everything else together it won’t seem that long of a wait. Make it the night before, slice it into thick slabs and toast it in the morning. Some vegan butter tops it all off. Garrett says it tastes like “coffee cake meets danish.” Make a cup of tea and let me know.

Cherry Almond Oat Breakfast Bread

cast iron skillet

2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
3 cup self rising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1¾ cup soy milk
½ whole lemon, juiced
¼ cup aquafaba ((the water from a can of white beans))
½ cup organic sugar
1 tsp salt
8 oz dried tart cherries ((I used Trader Joe's brand))
4 oz almond paste (crumbled)
boiling water (to soak cherries)
2 tsp refined coconut oil (or other oil to grease skillet)

Add the juice of the lemon half to the soy milk. Stir and allow to curdle and thicken; about 1 minute.
In a mixing bowl, add the soured soy milk to the oats. Cover and allow to soak for 30 minutes to an hour, until oats are plumped and softened.
While you wait for the oats to soften, put the cherries in a heat proof bowl and cover with boiling water.
Once the oats are softened add aquafaba to the oats. Stir.
Preheat oven to 350℉.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
Add all at once to the oats, stirring until just mixed.
Drain cherries. Add to oat mixture. Add crumbled almond paste. Stir until just combined.
Grease skillet with 2 tsp coconut oil. Set aside.
Using a silicone dough spatula or other spatula, shape dough into a round ball and then use the spatula to lift the dough ball into the skillet.
Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the bread.
Cool on a wire rack. Slice and serve toasted with butter (or vegan equivalent)