July 15, 2010 - 10:19pm
Pan loaves with burnt tops & pale bodies
Hello all,
I was nearly cheeky and called this post 'tan lines problem' but thought that might be innapropriate :)
I finally have a nice sourdough routine and am trying to cook in a bread pan. But when I do, I get a very baked top and the section of the loaf that was in the pan remains very very pale. To address this, I've been taking it out of the oven before it's done, removing it from the pan and then returning to the oven - but this doesnt feel right. Is there something else I should be doing?
The bread is a 1:2:3 white sourdough and I'm cooking at max heat (about 250C) with a baking stone and steam bath.
Any advice appreciated,
Stuart
Share
Sounds like your loaf pan is insulating the loaf from the heat, and the top is too exposed to the heat. 250 C is pretty hot, but then I don't know how wide your loaf pan is, maybe you could turn down your temperature for more even browning?
Another issue might be the sort of loaf pan you're using. If its very reflective, browning will be slower, if its a darker color, browning will be faster, so you might want to take that into account as well.
Maybe you could try baking it without the loaf pan? There is such a thing as sandwich loaves without the loaf pan.
--Chausiubao
Thanks for the reply.
Actually I went the pan route because my 1:2:3 sourdough is not very firm so doesnt hold its shape very well unless I add more flour. As I don't want to bake a large pool of bread, I thought a good response was to try it in the pan.
I have made the bread before as a free formed Batard and it's ok - I just wanted to have a crack at the pan too.
And is 250 really too hot? I've often seen recipes that suggest to bake at whatever the max temp your oven can do.
Thank you,
Stuart
Hi,
Too hot in a bread pan. Basically you have too much top heat which scorches the top of the loaf. If you bake in a pan, you have to heat the metal of the pan as well as the bread.
Pre-heat your oven as before, up to 250. But then drop it back to 230 as you put the loaf in. Turn the heat down again after 15 mins, somewhere between 200 and 220. Then bake out the loaf.
Best wishes
Andy
can also play a role. Generally, I eyeball the middle of the oven and place my rack so that the top edge of the pan is at the middle or as close to it as I can get. White or reflective pans can go down more, heat absorbing, glass or dark colored pans (including red) can stay or go up if needed. Then adjust oven temps from there per Andy's suggestion.
Mini
Tent the top with a piece of tinfoil.
About half way through the bake, place a piece of tented tinfoil over the top. This will retard the browning process and give the rest of the loaf time to catch up.
Try switching to a glass loaf pan. I have this problem too when I cook in a metal pan, especially since I have the absolute worst oven in the world. It resolved when I switched to glass and clay. My clay bakers by Henry Watson Pottery are the absolute best, but the glass doesnt suck either. Tin foil on the top of a loaf is also extremely effective and simple.
Just cover it in foil when it's looking like the top is browning. It will slow the top down while the rest cooks. Although, just because it's pale does not mean that it isn't cooked. Good luck! :o)
Good suggestions above. Check the bread about half way through baking and tent the bread with foil if the top is browning too fast. My 9x4 pans are shiny on the outside, and I take the loaves out of the pans about five to ten minutes before they are due to be done and put them back on the rack to finish cooking and to brown. Don't forget to use gloves or hot pads.
Thank you all for suggestions - they all sound very straightforward and I'll give them a go. I never considered a glass pan before as I thought glass was more for cakes - don't ask me where that silly assumption came from though!
All the best,
Stuart