Hard bottom bread

Submitted by isabell on May 21, 2008 - 11:58am

Why is that every bread I bake, the bottom ot the bread it's so hard, while the rest is not?

My oven it's a gas oven, bakes from the bottom only, (not from the top). That could be?

Please help me!

Filed under:

General

Submitted by dmsnyder on May 21, 2008 - 12:59pm.

Hard bottom bread

Hi, Isabell.

There is more heat reaching the bottom of your bread than is reaching the top.

You did not indicate whether you are using a baking stone, whether you are baking free-form or pan loaves or where you have the rack placed in your oven. So, I'll assume you do not use a stone and have the rack in the lowest placement.

Move the rack up to the middle of the oven, away from the heat source. Use a stone or, at least, put something between your loaves and the heat - even a baking pan.

If my assumptions are incorrect, please provide us with more information.

David

Submitted by isabell on May 21, 2008 - 1:21pm.

Hard bottom bread

Thank you Dave!

You are right, i don't use a stone.

I do bake in a pan.

I have my rack in the middle.

Should I put it on the top?

Bread bakes better in oven that has heat from the top too?

Thans again, Isabell

Submitted by dmsnyder on May 21, 2008 - 3:50pm.

Hard bottom bread

Bread bakes best when the oven's heat is pretty uniform - no hot or cold spots. I have no personal experience with gas ovens, but my understanding is they have more problems with this than electric ovens.

A good solution might be to get an pizza stone and also cover your bread with a bowl for the first part of the baking. Or, bake in a covered Dutch oven.

Other gas stove owners may have been advice.

David

Submitted by fancypantalons on May 21, 2008 - 1:43pm.

Yeah, alternatively, I'd

Yeah, alternatively, I'd suggest some foil, reflective side down, beneath the pan.

Submitted by LindyD on May 21, 2008 - 4:11pm.

Try a stone

I've only had gas stoves and aside from one stove which had a faulty thermostat, have had no problems. In my current oven the temperature is uniform throughout thanks to newer technology - although I've no idea how it works.

With breads, I always use a stone. If you don't want to purchase an inexpensive stone, You could try raising your rack one level so long as you have the head room above the rack for your bread to rise. Or place a couple of baking/cookie pans on the rack then place your pan on top of that.

Is your current baking pan dark? That alone will cause a thicker crust because darker colors absorb heat faster.

Submitted by Mini Oven on May 22, 2008 - 9:43pm.

Did you remove the finished loaf

from the form and cool on a rack? or let it cool inside the pan? Sometimes letting a loaf cool on a flat surface can lead to a hard bottom crust.

When I was baking free standing loaves in a gas oven, I would let them cool on a rack perched over a super large bowl and throw a tea towel over the whole thing. This softened the lower crust a wee bit and balanced out the moisture in the loaf without taking too much crunch away from the crust.

If you feel your oven is venting all your heat out, put the cookie or baking sheet mentioned upside down on the top shelf of the oven (high above the baking loaf) to block the heat from escaping to quickly. Then you can lower the heat just a little bit.

Mini O

Submitted by isabell on May 25, 2008 - 6:22am.