The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

[2017-08] Hearth Pan Loaf

Modern Jess's picture
Modern Jess

[2017-08] Hearth Pan Loaf

I'm falling behind on posting. Still baking, but I have a backlog of photos and posts to do. Trying to catch up.

Here's a loaf to change things up a bit. My wife is actually not super fond of "artisan" bread. She'll eat it, but she prefers softer bread, and always cuts the crust off regardless of what kind of bread it is. This is, needless to say, a bit of a sore point in our household.

I thought I'd experiment with some alternative forms to at least get closer to a loaf she would like. This one is just my standard sourdough method, but baked in a large "hearth pan". It's a big loaf.

Recipe as follows:

  • 900g KA bread flour
  • 630g water (73°) (overshot and poured too much)
  • 300g starter (70% hydration)
  • 25g kosher salt

Irregular turns for ~4 hours. I didn't form a loaf on this one, just put the dough into the hearth pan (after spraying with a light olive oil). Proofed overnight for ~8 hours on the countertop in a cool kitchen. 

Egg wash applied right before baking. Baked 20 minutes @ 450°, then 45 minutes @ 350°.

 

Comments

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

Can't wait for a crumb shot and to hear what your wife thinks. 

Modern Jess's picture
Modern Jess

For some reason, I didn't manage to get a crumb shot of this one. Sorry about that.

It was pretty consistent with my regular sourdough. My wife liked it better, though I think mostly because the slices were more amenable to sandwiches and so forth. My MiL got half of the loaf (did I mention it was a really big loaf) and she really liked it. Of course, she likes all my bread.

PalwithnoovenP's picture
PalwithnoovenP

Crust is not only softer but the shape is also perfect for heartier sandwiches.