Malva pudding recipe containing too much bicarb and vinegar?
I tried making Malva pudding today using this recipe and the results were decidedly off. I don't know if it was too acidy or basey but definitely didn't taste right. The recipy calls for 2tsp bicarb and 1tbsp vinegar. I did think it was quite a bit of vinegar at the time but trusted the recipe. I assumed the bicarb/vinegar would neutralize eachother and act as a rising agent.
Is this a usual amount of bicarb/vinegar to use in a recipe of this size? Or did I do something else wrong?
Full disclosure: I didn't have jam so that was excluded but followed the recipe faithfully otherwise, fresh ingredients and all. Could the exclusion of the jam have made a diff? I didn't think it would?
Edit:
It could have been the jam! Apricot jam has a pH of 3.8ish which is what makes it preserve so well I believe. So it's possible that the jam was also supposed to neutralize the bicarb.
Edit 2:
I asked about the acid base ratio at chemistry here and almost certainly too much bicarb!
Best Answer
In any recipe where a chemical reaction is required, in this case the reaction of bicarbonate and vinegar as a raising agent, it is important to add all ingredients. In any chemical reaction the wrong ingredient or the lack of one can make all the difference. The vinegar may have reacted with most of the bicarbonate but the apricot jam would have been used as a sufficient means to add both flavour and stabilise the rest of the bicarbonate.
Pictures about "Malva pudding recipe containing too much bicarb and vinegar?"
How do you fix too much baking soda?
Mix in something acidic Use a small amount of an acidic condiment such as lemon juice or vinegar to neutralise the soda. If the recipe has chocolate, simply add half a teaspoon of cocoa powder to it. Buttermilk can also be used to counter the pungent taste of baking soda.What does baking soda do in pudding?
Baking soda (known as bicarb to Brits) plays two roles in this recipe: It helps soften the dates, and it helps the wet, heavy batter rise during baking.Why did my malva pudding sink in the middle?
The gas from the leavening agents builds up and escapes before the cake bakes through in the center. This causes the center to collapse and makes your cake layers sink in the middle. A little goes a long way when it comes to leavening agents, so it's imperative you precisely measure them!What happens if you over mix Bicarb?
Too much baking powder can cause the batter to be bitter tasting. It can also cause the batter to rise rapidly and then collapse. (i.e. The air bubbles in the batter grow too large and break causing the batter to fall.)MALVA PUDDING RECIPE
More answers regarding malva pudding recipe containing too much bicarb and vinegar?
Answer 2
I don't know about the proper ratio. But traditional recipes are not always the best. Food technology has progressed in the last centuries, and so have our standards for food taste.
Simply put, many of the salts of sodium bicarbonate don't have a very pleasant taste. Many are on the metallic side, and if you somewhat misjudge the ratio, you can have a food which is either too basic (which may be your case; it will taste a bit like soap) or too acidic (this may be unpleasant depending on the acid).
My advice is to use baking powder for leavening, and use it in the amount needed, not "a bit more in case it doesn't work well", because this can produce an off taste. 5 g should be OK for your 175 g of flour. Save the soda for foods which require it for other purposes. You can also continue using it in recipes you trust, of course - because you've made them and know it doesn't produce an off taste in them.
Answer 3
In high altitudes, reduce the amount of baking powder and baking soda by a quarter. Your baking will turn out perfectly. I do it religiously now and my cakes rise to a level top.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Charlotte May, Sarah Chai, Anete Lusina, Klaus Nielsen