Splitting rye loaves?
I'm at the end of my wits and am in need of help and ideas.
I bake two different kinds of rye bread, both with commercial yeast. Both the yeast content and the hydration levels in these breads are different. In the last few months both breads started splitting during baking (I start them at 450F for 10 minutes and finish them at 325F with convection -- and it is during the latter stage that they split). I have not changed the formulas or the baking temperatures in the last few months. Even though I HAVE started mixing the dough in my new 20 qt. mixer a couple of months ago, the splitting seems to have started before that.
I tend to attribute it to a change in ambient temperature/humidity due to the beginning of the heating season but can't figure out how to adjust for it or even if I can/should adjust.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Attached is the picture of today's batch. Every single one of my 4 loaves split in the same way. I apologize for the quality of the picture -- I'm a baker, not a photographer. ;)
Thank you,
Nika aka Breadnik