Davina's flying roof
Davina posted a question in another thread about a "flying roof" problem she had encountered. Here is what she said:
"I baked a bread yesterday. The top crust separated from the crumb and continue to expand and rise in the oven, leaving a void area in between the top crust skin and the crumb. It did not break or bursted open. However, it just stopped rising and then becoming browner and browner. After i transferred it onto a rack to cool, the top collpased back onto the top of the crumb just to fill back the void area. I do not know if i made myself clear. I just do not know what is happening. It seems baking is too much science for me. Can anyone explain why only the top rose? I thought i had everthing ready for the baking. What was i missing?"
Since I have to run along now, feel free to jump in with some helpful pointers for her.
Paul
But it is only a guess. A proofing issue and/or the crust hardening quickly on the outside but the crumb collapses on the inside. Getting the proofing just right and introducing sufficient steam should help correct this issue. I think if Davina posts the recipe and her baking method then we'd get a clearer picture.
a possible proofing issue, too. The last comment included this recipe: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/comment/384480#comment-384480
"One of them i cannot make it rise as the Youtube is the Dinner rolls. Recepi from Food at Home: 250g bread flour, 37g Sugar, 3/4 tsp salt, 25 g mild powder, 1 tsp yeast, 1 egg, and 110-120g water/milk. The rolls turned out very dense, not much for a oven spring. I thought i had everything ready: temperature inside oven is 350 degree F, hot baking sheet, with water for the steam, and not overproof. It might be my oven. HaHa!"
I wonder whether Davina is trying to follow strict timing on recipes, and the dough isn't actually responding in those time frames. The dense, no rise on the dinner rolls seems like under-proofing to me, while the flying crust might just be an over-proofing / collapse issue.
I do hope that Davina sees this thread and can give us more details on what is going on.