March 29, 2010 - 6:03pm
How high is too high?
When I make ciabatta or sourdough, I cook to an internal temp of about 205... but it seems that sometimes it still comes out as what I perceive to be doughy, but it's really just undercooked. How high can I take the internal temperature? What happens if I go too high?
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Are you letting the loaves cool thoroughly before cutting into them?
Is your thermometer accurate?
Are you cooling the bread on a rack and for how long?
At 205° F you should not have doughy bread IF you let it cool thoroughly. If you are letting them cool, then I would check your thermometer.
Jeff
The loaves are generally thoroughly cooled, for hours, on a rack. The thermometer seems accurate, it works fine for other things, it's a digital with a probe
Haved you checked the thermometer with boiling water?
Jeff
One other thought, are you covering or wrapping the loaves before they are completely cooled?
My ciabatta finishes better at 210 degrees internal temperature with one hour (minimum) on the cooling rack. There's no reason why you couldn't bake it 5 - 10 minutes longer and see if it's still "gummy". Part of the joy of bread baking is learning what works and what doesn't.
I'll give that a shot, I was just wondering what happens. A lot of the bread I make cooks to around 185, so more than 205 kind of freaked me out.
It sounds like you are cutting into it before it has cooled. That's something many people don't know about sourdough. It has to cool for the glutens to set. Don't touch it for 3 hours after baking. Otherwise, if you cut into it, it will be gummy.
200 degrees is a general target temp for sourdough loaves, then let it cool completely.
Sometimes I don't cut into it until the next morning.