The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Crust?

Ibycus's picture
Ibycus

Crust?

I've been baking bread now off and on for about 17 years or so. My neighbor taught me his family recipe when I was in my teens. Generally been making that same recipe with small variations. Makes a great loaf. So good though that I've not played around much with different breads.

Recently decided though to shake things up a bit and experiment.

My first experiment was to see if I could adapt the recipe he gave me for use in a bread machine, initial results were a disaster. (Too much dough was probably the main problem, but the crust came out about a centimeter thick and hard as rock was another problem). The 'normal' batch I make does about 7 loaves (although these days it's rare I don't double it and do 14 ish loaves). 

I put that project aside for a bit, and decided to try some sour dough. I'll start off my saying --- I cheated a bit and started with a small bit of commercial yeast. First loaf I made rose beautifully. Was free standing, brushed it with oil and glazed with an egg/water mixture per instructions. 

Was a bit surprised at how hot the oven had to be (425F per instructions). Bake time was somewhere around 45-50 minutes. The loaf looked done to my eye at around 30 minutes or so (visual inspection), but I left it on for about 40 minutes. the bottom of the loaf was *very* slightly burnt. The crust was also pretty hard and pretty thick. I'm thinking shortening the baking time will be helpful. Read about steaming the loaf and that it might soften the loaf. Any thoughts/suggestions? My starter should be ready for another go in about a day or so.... 

PetraR's picture
PetraR

I would be interested in the recipe that said to brush the loaf with oil before baking.

I never heard of that as I can imagine that you get a very hard crust when  you do that.

 

Ibycus's picture
Ibycus

The recipe I'm using comes from 'Canadian living Best Breads and pizzas'. Specific instruction says 'Placed seam side down on a greased baking sheet; brush with oil', cover, let rise for 1.5-2 hours, bake 425F for 50 minutes.

PetraR's picture
PetraR

Seems quite unusual to me, but I would like to try it to see how this kind of bread turns out.

Thank you for the reply:)

Lazy Loafer's picture
Lazy Loafer

I usually start my breads in an oven preheated (with the big granite stones in place) to 475 - 500. After a couple of minutes I turn the temp down, usually to 425. Most loaves scaled to 750 grams bake for a total of 35 to 40 minutes. The crusts are nice but can be a bit tough after a couple of days.

I'm now trying baking in a preheated cast iron pot (3 quart/2.8 liter) casserole. The crust using this method is very nice (25-30 minutes with the lid on, then remove and finish baking for 10 - 15 minutes). The first batch I did this way the whole bake was at 450 degrees, but I think I'll turn it down after 5 or 10 minutes next time as the crust was overdone on the bottom.

The only time I've brushed a loaf with 'fat' is to brush a finished (i.e. baked) loaf with melted butter, which makes the crust softer. Never before baking though.

PetraR's picture
PetraR

Yes, I heard of rubbing the bread with butter after the bake to make the crust more soft, but never had I heard about the oiling the top of the bread before baking.

I do bake in a Dutch Oven and love it.

Great oven spring, good crust and lovely crumb.

Must say, I mix 2 tbsp Olive Oil in to my dough when I am kneading , the bread will not get stale so fast.

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

oil right after shaping.  For a long proofing SD loaf, it keeps the bread skin from drying out and forming a crust while it proofs.  The oil pretty much disappears by the time baking comes around - so no worry.

PetraR's picture
PetraR

When I started baking I used to put some oil in the bowl and on top of the bread when proofing, but since I use plastic wrap to cover the bowl during proofing , either a long proofing in the fridge or a short on, crust has no chance to build up.

The 1.5 hours proofing before baking my banneton sits inside a plastic bag, so no crust can form OR for a longer second proofing it will be in the banneton which is sitting on a kitchen towel, covered with a ktichen towel and in a plastic bag in the fridge.

With the oil on the dough so shortly before baking, I can only a imagine a very hard curst after baking.

I now do not use olive oil in the bowl or on top of the dough.

When I mix my dough I add 2-3 TBSP Olive oil * depending on how much dough I am making, it gives my bread a longer shelf life and does not get stale so quckly.

 

Ibycus's picture
Ibycus

Attempt number 2: I skipped the brushing with oil, and went with my gut feel on bake time. Ended up being about 25 Minutes... Final loaf --- crust was absolutely perfect. Unfortunately the bread itself was a but doughy.

Ibycus's picture
Ibycus

Attempt #3 today, baked in a cooler oven for longer,,,, came out absolutely perfect.

dobie's picture
dobie

ibycus

Good job.

dobie

PetraR's picture
PetraR

I am very happy you got the result that you wanted.

Bread is the most beautiful food , I could live on bread with butter and some soup.

Lazy Loafer's picture
Lazy Loafer

Oh, well done for taking chances and experimenting! This is how we make bread our own, and it's so much fun! :)

LL

Ibycus's picture
Ibycus

What I don't get, is how the original, published recipe could have been so far out from what would actually work. I mean, if I'd followed it 'as written', I would have ended up with a very burnt, very black loaf with an inedible crust.

Lazy Loafer's picture
Lazy Loafer

I don't understand how it ended up burnt and black, baked at 425. Maybe 50 minutes is a bit long, but I almost always bake my hearth breads at 425 after starting them (for the first 5 minutes) at 475 or even 500. I probably bake most of them for 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the loaf and a couple other things. I use an instant read probe thermometer to check the internal temperature and put it back in the oven if the temp is not over 185. The crust is never 'burnt and black' though!

Do you add any sugars or fats / dairy to this bread? If so, then 350 is a more appropriate temperature.

doughooker's picture
doughooker

May I suggest spending $10 for an oven thermometer? I have one of these and have checked its accuracy in boiling water. It is plenty accurate for bread baking.

http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Precision-Products-Classic-Thermometer/dp/B0000DJUYR/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1453275103&sr=1-2&keywords=tayl...

Ibycus's picture
Ibycus

I'm pretty confident about the temperature of my oven, as its more or less brand new, and everything else works well at indicated temperatures.