Top 8 sandwich breads put to the test
What we are looking at today is simple bread with the least number of ingredients that is also acceptable to children who don’t always want a big chew on crusts.
Back to school means getting back to a routine of preparing food for snacks and sizeable lunches. One of the pluses of the pandemic for many has been a new appreciation of the delights of decent bread. We discovered sourdough and yeast breads made without additives to prolong shelf life.
It would be a pity to back to processed bread that compacts into a sticky mess. We deserve better.
This week I've checked out what some of our favourite bakers are offering, how they are keeping up the high standard to which we have become accustomed.
Loaves don’t have to be made from sourdough for sandwiches. A decent yeast loaf made from good quality flour facilitates the absorption of nutrients from sandwich fillings and makes a neat lunch. Wholemeal bread that contains more fibre, iron and vitamins is for another survey.
What we are looking at today is simple bread with the least number of ingredients that is also acceptable to children who don’t always want a big chew on crusts.
Some bakeries only slice bread in their shops, so ask your local baker if they can oblige so you still get the best of what they have to offer. Freeze half a loaf if necessary.
Full-flavoured, light, moist, crumb with just the minimum number of ingredients for good bread – flour, water, yeast, salt, this has no additives for long shelf life. A top marker for children and adults who liked the tasty, slightly chewy crust with just the right thickness for children’s sandwiches. From Hassetts shops in Carrigaline, Douglas SC, English Market (Saturday only), and O’Driscolls Ballinlough, Cork.
9.5
A nice, thin crust, a soft crumb firm enough to take a lash of butter and fillings made this a winner with all children and adults, who also approved of the round shape. Like all of the range, including sourdoughs, it can be sliced on the spot at any of its Dunnes Stores stands and at the English Market, Cork. Good value, with 400g size for €1.60. Adults also liked the mild sourdough (€2.80) for grown-up sandwiches.
9.5
With 15% sourdough, the balance of flavour here is right for children and interesting enough for adults. For lovers of a decent crust, this yeast pan also makes excellent toasted sandwiches colder days later in the year. Conservative child tasters surprisingly also loved the brown malt – very good value at €5.50 1.6kg. At Cork farmer's markets in Midleton, Mahon, Douglas, or to be sure, ring ahead 021 4505820 to order sliced for supply to your local shop.
9.5
Sliced on the spot at the bakery/shop on Washington Street, Cork, this excellent patisserie does good sandwiches too. The bread has a thin, chewy crust, with very good flavour and texture, loved by all tasters. Good value.
9.5
Sliced in its shopping centre outlets (we bought in Ballincollig SC), this worked well, with a slightly chewy crust which children didn’t favour so much, and had slightly less flavoursome crumb than our top scorers. However, it held its shape well for sandwich fillings. Good price.
8
This pre-sliced sliced loaf from this Midleton-based bakery has some rye sourdough and rapeseed oil as well as regular flour, yeast, water and salt. Nicely yeasty, the result is some flavour and texture and a soft crust which young tasters liked. We bought in Tesco.
7.5
The thin crust has a slightly dry crumb, despite the addition of rapeseed oil. Good to see no emulsifiers. There is soya flour (usually for springy texture and whitening effect). While it wasn’t a favourite with tasters, it was good toasted. Tasters noticed two lots of plastic in the form of a tray and bag. They are becoming plastic-conscious.
7
Spelt is an ancient variety of wheat and this loaf has added barley malt, sesame seeds, spelt flakes, honey and salt. Tasters wondered about the source of soya flour and E472e listed, which is the emulsifier diacetyl tartaric acid ester of mono and diglycerides seen in many sliced pans. Children didn’t like the seeds, but the adults thought it a pleasant bread that they would use for a change. There are other breads in the range.
6.75
