My soda breads rise on one side and break ?

flynnboy

Hi

Whenever I make any kind of bread using soda - no matter what it might be - it always rises on one side and breaks the crust. This happens in both of my ovens so it would not seem to be the oven ? It's driving me mad. I bake other kinds of bread always successfully and this only happens when I am using soda as the raising agent.

Any thoughts

Khannie

Is it consistently on the same side of the oven? Our oven is hotter nearer the fan.

flynnboy

Khannie wrote: »

Is it consistently on the same side of the oven? Our oven is hotter nearer the fan.

No. I've thought of that. Both ovens are different in terms of size and function but no matter how the tins are oriented in the ovens the same thing happens, front back or sideways on

sweet-rasmus

did you do the criss-cross on top properly?? i think a similar thing happened to me when i didn't add the cross on top.

flynnboy

sweet-rasmus wrote: »

did you do the criss-cross on top properly?? i think a similar thing happened to me when i didn't add the cross on top.

Hi

Yes. The thing is this only happens with a recipe using bread soda, it isn't just with my soda bread, I have another bread recipe with polenta and seeds which does exactly the same thing. My yeast bread never does that and so I really don't think it's my ovens.

I've been thinking about it and the only time this ever happened with yeast bread was when I hadn't let my dough prove sufficiently resulting in it rising too quickly and the crust breaking. None of my soda recipes state any rising time but I think next time I am going to try proving the dough for a while or maybe introduce it to a warm oven and then increase the heat. This is the only thing I can think of.:(

Little Alex

I had the same problem the last time I tried to make muffins. Not exactly sure if it would the the same cause as with your soda bread, but it could well be.

The next time I am going to try a rung lower down to see if that helps.

I might also fill a Pyrex bowl with boiling water and put that in while baking. I might also try placing the baking tin in a baking tray with an inch on so of boiling water, which should result in even temperature distribution. Maybe the moisture will help. No idea, but I'm going to try it.

It could also be a limitation of using an electric oven. Perhaps it does not heat as evenly as a gas oven. Maybe using or not using the fan setting affects the heat distribution, too.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

balliali

I also make soda bread and this sometimes happens too. However, if you cut a very deep cross in it, almost cutting through the dough....and pushing the dough apart slightly with your knife, you should notice a good difference.