Soda Bread Crust Separating

AndyOR

Hi,

I’ve been using the below soda bread recipe but I’m finding when I cut into the bread, the inside isn’t really attached to the outer crust. Any ideas what might be causing it?

250g wholemeal flour
200g plain white flour
1 teasp. bread soda, sieved
1 teasp. salt
1 egg
350ml buttermilk, approx.
1 teasp. Honey

Thanks,

Andy

phormium

Are you using a good sharp serrated knife to cut it? Cutting it warm?

Comerman

How does it taste? Isn't there something about adding too much baking soda affecting the rise?

AndyOR

The knife is fine, I did cut it warm today but have left it for longer previously and still had a similar issue.

Taste is fine, possibly needs a little more time in the oven and maybe reduce the amount of buttermilk?

Spanish Eyes

Forget the egg and the honey. It's not the REAL way at all.

Try it the old fashioned way, flour, salt, bread soda, mix up with a fork, then add buttermilk. A bare enough kneading to get it into shape.

Our mammies never added eggs or honey.

phormium

I doubt though the honey or eggs are causing the problem, there are so many different brown bread recipes out there as well as the traditional cake of brown bread. I use many different ones, some have eggs, some don't, sugar in some and not in others but none of them do that.

What temp are you cooking at? Wonder is the crust forming too fast in a too hot oven?

Birdsong

phormium wrote: »

What temp are you cooking at? Wonder is the crust forming too fast in a too hot oven?

Would agree with these, would think temperature to hot

inajock

I'd remove the egg. You could rub a little butter or a tablespoon of vegetable oil if you want it a little richer. And if it was a cake it might cut better

AndyOR

Birdsong wrote: »

Would agree with these, would think temperature to hot

Recipe had the oven at 200 C for 45-50mins.

This does sound like it could be the issue, must try it lower, maybe 180 for an extra ten minutes?

rubadub

Do your flours contain raising agents? now sure what would happen if they do nut I see some "plain flours" which do contain raising agents, presumably less than self raising ones but still there.

phormium

If that is 200 fan you are using then it is a bit hot, I usually do first 10 mins or so in a preheated 190 fan oven for something like full wholewheat bread which is heavy and needs a good blast of heat to rise, as yours is nearly half white flour I would say 180 fan should be sufficient. I then turn down the oven a bit after a while once it has risen well to allow it cook fully without overcooking the outsides.

Do you wrap it in a teatowel when it comes out of the oven? I often cut mine fresh and warm but there is no doubt that they cut even better the next day.

Alternatively try a different recipe!

RasTa

Never use an egg with soda bread

Do it this way next time, ignore the milk

https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/soda-bread

phormium

That's a white soda though, OP is making brown, is there a brown version?

Funny enough I never use an egg for any of the recipes baked in the traditional round shape like the one in that recipe but I only use 1 tsp baking soda but several of the loaf tin bread recipes I use with brown flour do have an egg, I don't know that it makes that much difference only if you want to stay true to the pure traditional version of white or brown soda bread. I have never found it makes the crust come off anyway

RasTa

Yeah I do half wholemeal

AndyOR

Thanks for all the replies, I’ll definitely tinker with the heat of the oven and the recipe and see how I get on!