February 4, 2014 - 4:56pm
Crust Crispiness
So I seem to have something amazing, but I'm wondering if its not also a bit of a curse.
Every successful loaf I have baked I've baked on silpat, starting with a cold oven, and baked at 375F. Every one has turned out with an amazingly crispy crust. The crust is thin, no too much, not too little, at least for my liking.
But from everything I read to get my crust I need to bake on a stone, at 450F+, and with some added steam. I don't know why I don't need this stuff...
So here's the curse part. What if I want to bake an English Muffin. Haven't tried one yet, but I don't know why it wouldn't end up with the same crust as everything else I've baked.
If my stove only knows how to make crispy crusts, how do I get a soft one?
Russ
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English muffins are not traditionally baked in the oven, but on a griddle on the hob.
As Bakingmadtoo already mentioned, English Muffins are usually done on a griddle, or other flat cookware, on the range top. Some people have baked English Muffins in the oven before, so it can be done. You can do a search on this site and find out how they did it, and if they were satisfied with the results.
But, one suggestion I can make is to cover your bread anytime you want a softer crust. That will protect it somewhat from the radiant heat and dry air in the oven, and helps hold in the steam from the baking bread. You can use a dutch oven with a lid, or a la cloche, or simply fold up some foil into a makeshift tent. Remove the cover in the last minutes of baking, to get a nicely browned crust.