November 19, 2009 - 3:35pm
Oven Temperature & Crust Thckness
I need to make Italian bread and have a thinner crust. Normally, I make batards, use steam, and bake at 400 for 25 min. for an internal temperature of 200 degrees. If I omit the steam, as some suggest, would raising oven temp. result in a thinner crust? I am unable to determine whether cooking longer at a lower temp. produces a thicker crust. I also may wash the bread before baking with egg.
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Omitting steam would probably result in a thicker crust. Steam (in addition to gelatinizing surface starches) prevents the crust from forming. The dough would take just as long to bake at any given temperature, but the crust would form earlier, and keep on forming until the loaf was removed from the oven.
Perhaps, if you're looking for a thinner crust, you could keep steaming the loaf for longer.
Thank you
I've baked loaves at 400 degrees for 35 min and same recipe at 350 degrees for 55 minutes, both to internal temp of 200. In my experience the lower heat had the softer crust as both were steamed same way. Hope this helps...
Thank you