The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Please help - my bread sticks to loaf pans

Maeve's picture
Maeve

Please help - my bread sticks to loaf pans

I like the shape of bread done in loaf pans, but it doesn't matter what I use, my bread sticks in the pans.  I've used glass, silicone, non-stick metal and now regular stainless steel.  I spray oil on the pans before letting the dough do it's final rise.

 

Someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong.  Or direct me to loaf pans that won't stick my bread.  Or just convince me that I should dispense with the loaf pan altogether, even if it won't fit nicely in my toaster.

 

Sigh. 

sphealey's picture
sphealey

What type of oil do you use? I have a spray from Mazola that has olive oil and lecithin that seems to work quite well to prevent sticking. Laurel's Bread Book recommends pure lecithin although I am not sure where you would get that.

sPh

KipperCat's picture
KipperCat

I just saw the lecithin on King Arthur's website.

JMonkey's picture
JMonkey

Per Laurel, I mix 1/2 cup lecithin (you can use liquid or granules - I use granules) with 1 cup oil in your blender or food processor. I then take a paper towel or a rag and spread a thin layer on the inside of my pans. The only time I have sticking problems is when I'm careless and miss spots.

I store it in the fridge and let it warm up before spreading. Works well!

browndog's picture
browndog

Cooking sprays with lecithin do a great job as a rule. I find that solid margarine or butter works much better than oil on new-ish pans that haven't 'seasoned' yet. Finally, use either oil or butter and dust the bottoms and a bit up the sides with cornmeal, rye or semolina flour. That should do the trick.

TRK's picture
TRK

I used to have this problem and found that if I used my fingers to spread butter thoroughly over the inside of the pan I never had sticking problems.  I now use Chicago Metallic nonstick loaf pans and have never had sticking problems using spray oil, but when I used different pans, the butter always worked.  It gives the bottom crust a nice flavor as well.

Thegreenbaker's picture
Thegreenbaker

hhhmmm,

I had this problem, then I began to coat my pans wth oil...it really doesnt matter what oil, just as long as they are coated well. Then I sprinkle lots and lots of cornmeal (polenta) or semolina all over the pan. I make sure the oil is coated with the grains.

Also, I find that if I cover the loaf in poppy/sesame/sunflower etc seeds.....all over, so all you see is seed...or most there of, then it rarely sticks.

I usually end up with a minimal amount of sticking with the oil and cornmeal/semolina, and with the seeds added it is very rare indeed but still does occur.

Hope this helps!

 

thegreenbaker 

Darkstar's picture
Darkstar

I use a commercial spray like the brand PAM but made for Albertson's/Jewel food stores.  I don't know about the content other than it contains Canola oil.  I liberally spray it in my Pyrex loaf pans and have never had a problem with sticking loaves.

 

Dough/bread type may play a role here too.  I only make soft/enriched loaves in my loaf pans.  If I'm making anything that has only flour, water, salt , and yeast in it I'll form it and bake on my baking stone on parchment paper though others here have had success with sheet-pans.

manuela's picture
manuela

I also use olive oil to brush the bread pans and it works fine, the pans I use are uncoated aluminum,and I found it works well also on cast iron pans.

To be honest, I have also lined the bread pans with aluminum foil (cut large enough to cover bottom and sides, and overhang slightly over the sides), then well coated the aluminum foil with olive oil, and that's also worked really really well.

You lift the foil to take the bread out, gently peel off the foil from the bread sides and bottom and it 's perfect everytime.