Call me Crusty! . . . or maybe not.
With the help of your generous hearts last night I baked my best round rustic breads ever: I kneaded the sticky dough almost like a pro, a couple of bowls with kitchen cloths proofed the dough without letting it sag, and once in the oven at one point I was afraid the bread was going to hit the roof! I took the loaves out of the oven when their color was right, and they sounded as hollow as hollow can sound. Right out of the oven the crust was hard and firm, but as soon as they cooled down the crusts went soft. I'm looking for the kind of crust that will crack before it yields and will hurt the roof of your mouth if you don't chew it carefully. I've tried several times both spraying the loaves and steaming the oven with a small bowl full of water, and I always get the same kind of crust which comes hard out of the oven and gets soft when cool.
Once the crust is brown and the bread sounds hollow, how much longer can you bake the bread without overcooking it?
Any suggestions?
Thank you very much.