Aran Goyoaga’s Fig and Caramelized Onion Soda Bread
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Our favorite gluten-free baking expert, Aran Goyoaga, has a shiny new cookbook: Cannelle et Vanilla Bakes Simple: A New Way to Bake Gluten-Free. We’re having trouble deciding which of the gorgeous recipes to make first, but this fig and caramelized onion soda bread is at the top of our list.
“This bread leavened simply with baking soda is like a giant savory scone,” she explains. “The trick is to not overmix the dough, keeping it loose and lumpy so it gets the rough exterior texture. Do not let the dough sit on the counter for long—make sure your oven is preheated so you can bake the bread as soon as it comes together.”
If you’re new to gluten-free baking, some of the ingredients might look unfamiliar. As Aran explains in her book, they all have a distinct purpose. Here, for example, the potato starch creates a soft, tender crumb while the tapioca starch binds the flours and lends a crisp texture. Look in the baking aisle or gluten-free section of your grocery store for these ingredients.
©2021 by Aran Goyoaga. Excerpted from Cannelle et Vanille Bakes Simple: A New Way to Bake Gluten-Free by permission of Sasquatch Books.
Ingredients
3 ounces (90g) dried figs (about 8) or currants (no soaking required)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ medium yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
1¼ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon whole caraway seeds (optional)
1½ cups (210g) light buckwheat flour or sorghum flour
1 cup (120g) gluten-free oat flour, plus more for dusting
½ cup (80g) potato starch
½ cup (60g) tapioca starch
¼ cup (50g) sugar
2 tablespoons (20g) psyllium husk powder
2½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1¼ cups (300g) oat milk
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust it with oat flour.
2. Put the figs in a small bowl, cover with boiling water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain and coarsely chop them.
3. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat, then add the olive oil, onion and ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the caraway seeds, cook for another 30 seconds and transfer the mixture to a plate to cool.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, oat flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, sugar, psyllium powder, baking powder, baking soda and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Add the chopped figs and caramelized onions and stir.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and vinegar. Pour this over the dry ingredients and, using a fork, whisk until it comes together in a lumpy dough. You want to be sure almost all the flour is incorporated, but do not overmix. It’s OK if it’s loose. I don’t touch the dough with my hands or knead it in the bowl.
6. Invert the bowl over the prepared pan and let the dough fall onto the flour. Dust your hands with more oat flour and bring the dough together, shaping it into a circle about 7 inches wide and 2½ inches thick. Top with a light dusting of flour. Make two ½-inch-deep crisscross cuts on top.
7. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and bake until golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes more. Cool the bread for 15 minutes before cutting. It’s best eaten immediately, as it dries out quickly.
214 calories
4g fat
42g carbs
5g protein
8g sugars