Rustic Multigrain Soda Bread

Photo: Rustic Multigrain Soda Bread
Rye, spelt and wheat flours combine with mixed seeds for this quick soda bread. Using baking soda instead of yeast makes for an easy weekday bread.
Yield
8-12 slices
Ingredients
  • 2 cups unsweetened soymilk
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1¾ cups unbleached all purpose flour
  • 1½ cups spelt flour (more for dusting + kneading)
  • 1⅓ cups rye flour
  • 2 Tablespoons EACH flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon sucanat or sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400º and flour a baking sheet.
  2. Whisk together the soymilk and vinegar and let stand one minute to curdle.
  3. Sift together the flours, seeds (reserve 2 Tablespoons of mixture), baking soda, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and pour in soymilk, reserving a few teaspoons for brushing. Stir until everything is just combined. Turn out on to a lightly floured countertop and knead for about 30 seconds, adding a few Tablespoons flour if needed to keep from sticking. Knead just until the dough comes together without cracks–but it’s VERY important to not over-knead this bread!
  4. Shape into a flattened ball and place dough onto baking sheet. Brush top with reserved soymilk. Make an ‘X’ through the dough (about halfway through the loaf- be careful not to slice all the way through!). Sprinkle reserved seeds on top, being sure to get some into the cracks.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes on the middle rack. Carefully move the bread to the top rack and bake for another 20 minutes until bread is baked through (it should sound hollow when tapped).
  6. Cool on a wire rack, then slice and serve with butter or jam! Enjoy!

    Yield: one rustic loaf (12-16 slices)