Darker bakes ... and how do I acheive them?
Hi there
I am new here, but over the last 3 months I have been following you blog posts and must say always very impressed with the well thought out answers :)
So I thought I would jump in with mine.
I have a question about the colour of my baked sourdough loaves.
So let me take one of the popular loaves I regularly bake - a simple, white sourdough. 60% hydration, 20% starter and 2% salt, A small 500 gm boule baked for around 30 mines or to at least the core temp reaches 94 degrees C. It has a pale/mid brown colour. Looks and tastes great. But when I look at other images of bakes they always look darker ... and dare I say better!
Why is that? Should I bake for longer and therefore is 94 more of a min temp to go for - rather than a target? Or do add other flours, rubs, sugar, washes ?? Really like to learn more here and getter way on darker!!
Comments
A lean dough generally requires a high temp to become a bold brown. Try baking at ~ 475℉ / 250℃.
If you're already using high temps, let it go a bit longer. Interior temp of ~210℉ / 99℃ is ok.
Adding milk, eggs or sugar to the dough will cause the crust to brown sooner. An egg wash will also brown sooner.
cheers,
gary
Higher temperature for longer and a higher temperature inside. You can also do some things to make sure there is some additional residual sugar to turn brown in the oven as well. Longer autolyse, malt additions both red and white, using some fruit juice for part of the dough liquid all come to mind as well
Thanks both.
BTW What does leaner mean in the context of dough?? Like the idea of adding juice:)
I wish. Lean doughs are those that contain no enrichments, i.e flour, water, yeast and salt. Enriched doughs have sugar, fat, milk and/or eggs in any combination. Rich doughs contain a lot of enrichment, e.g. brioche.
cheers,
gary