BBC Travel writer Kathleen Mangan traveled to Ireland in hopes of perfecting the techniques her grandmother had used for her Irish soda bread; techniques Mangan previously tried and failed to master. When she asked master baker Mary Gleeson why Irish soda bread always has a cross cut into the top, it turns out the answer is a simple one. Mary said, "You have to cut a cross in the dough to let the fairies out." Cook's Country has a similar explanation for the cross on Irish soda bread. The source states that it's to let the devil out. Some consider the cross a blessing for the loaf, but it turns out there may be a less fanciful explanation.
When buttermilk and baking soda are combined, they produce carbon dioxide, which The Real Word explains expands the bread as it bakes. Scoring, or cutting a cross into the top of the loaf, allows the bread to expand without splitting in unexpected spots, according to Cook's Country. Whether made with yeast or with baking soda, bread rises, which is why a number of kinds of bread, like baguettes, are traditionally scored, so the finished product has a predictable, regular appearance. However, as any experienced bread baker knows, fairies or devils could easily be to blame for the inevitable baking flops that occur from time to time.
"bread" - Google News
October 10, 2022 at 08:00AM
https://ift.tt/PiBkN7H
Why Traditional Irish Soda Bread Has A Cross Is Carved Into It - Tasting Table
"bread" - Google News
https://ift.tt/64cEie2
https://ift.tt/FscnUkp
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Why Traditional Irish Soda Bread Has A Cross Is Carved Into It - Tasting Table"
Post a Comment