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Soda Bread problems.....

Planet X

.......that I might have an idea what it is.....

Recent soda breads are turning dark in the middle, after a day or so. Inedible really.

So I think I have the reason but I want someone to confirm please.

I ran out of plain flour and started using Strong White Flour.....all Ok

Ran out of Plain and Strong and started using Odlums Cream flour. Since this contains soda I think I'm getting too much or extra soda in the mix hence it's going off.

This right?

Cheers.

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phormium

I'm assuming we're talking about white soda bread and not brown? Funny enough I buy Odlums Cream flour for one purpose only and that is for making white soda bread, I find the colour of it is an offputting dirty white when I use own brand flours, the Odlums is a whiter flour for whatever reason.

I have never found any difference other than that with the flours, mind you I wouldn't have soda bread past the second day anyway at most at it just doesn't keep well, I usually just keep out enough for day it's baked and next day and freeze the rest.

There is very little added raising agent in OCF and it is considered plain flour for most reicpes, I wouldn't imagine the amount of soda in it could make any difference considering soda bread recipes themselves often vary in the amount of soda used and my grandmother just threw some in by hand with no measuring!

Planet X

Yeah.....my recipe, I got on here, has two tsps of Baking soda. I thought that the additional Baking soda in Cream flour might swing it the wrong way ie. gets darker, badly, in the middle.

I also bake two at a time and half and freeze.

Going to do two today with plain flour and see what happens....should be OK.

phormium

There is only one level teaspoon per lb/450g flour in my recipe.

Planet X

Trying a new recipe then,

https://www.joskitchenlarder.com/irish-soda-bread/

One tsp soda and 500ml yoghurt. Differs from the last recipe I used. A lot more "solid" out of the bowl, looks good.

Planet X

So, I popped this out just now. Looks OK.

However....I learnt a lesson this morning. This was my second go, the first one came out looking OK but.......as my yoghurt / milk mix was fridge temp., about 4c or something, the middle wasn't cooked through.

The above is a Darina Allen recipe. I think I have it cracked now........with liquids and all ingredients at room temp.

1 tsp soda also as opposed to two in another recipe.

phormium

It's Darina Allen's recipe I have used for years :) There really shouldn't be as many recipes as there are for soda bread, it's a very basic mix and Darina's is just like my grandmothers, the bare minimum of 'stuff' and delicious :)

One 'recipe' for soda bread on a popular site really irritates me, there isn't even bread soda in it, it's ordinary milk and baking powder plus sugar etc, it's really just a giant scone and not soda bread as it should be!

Planet X

Looked at Odlums site this morning.........again, crazy enough with 6 different recipes. Confusing enough.

ellejay

I'm going to try the Darina Allen Soda Bread!

But I notice it has buttermilk, not yogurt.

Am I looking at the correct recipe please?

http://www.cookingisfun.ie/how-make-irish-soda-bread

Ingredients

450g (1lb) white flour, preferably unbleached

1 level teaspoon salt

1 level teaspoon breadsoda

sour milk or buttermilk to mix - 350-400ml (12-14fl oz) approx.

Method

First fully preheat your oven to 230ºC/450ºF/Gas Mark 8.

Sieve the dry ingredients. Make a well in the centre. Pour most of the milk in at once. Using one hand, mix in the flour from the sides of the bowl, adding more milk if necessary. The dough should be softish, not too wet and sticky. When it all comes together, turn it out onto a well floured worked surface. WASH AND DRY YOUR HANDS. Tidy it up and flip over gently. Pat the dough into a round about 2.5cm (1 1/2 inches) deep and cut a cross on it to let the fairies out! Let the cuts go over the sides of the bread to make sure of this. Bake in a hot oven, 230ºC/450ºF/Gas Mark 8 for 15 minutes, then turn down the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas Mark 6 for 30 minutes or until cooked. If you are in doubt, tap the bottom of the bread: if it is cooked it will sound hollow