July 12, 2020 - 2:11pm
Top half of loaf is coming out white
I’m not sure what’s going on. I recently switched over from king author bread flour to honeyville Alta artisan bread flour. The loaf is cooking through and taste fine, but after switching flours the top half of the loaf comes out like someone took a white paint brush and paired the top half.
anyone know why or how I can correct this?
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My loaves would come out like that if i don't bake them in a DO and don't use steam in the oven. Otherwise, they normally come out of the DO with beautiful colors and shine. i'm not sure why switching flour would cause this if you have an identical process. are you dusting more than normal?
there are a few threads about it but not a pinned down cause and solution. I've had it a few times and so have others but we think it has something to do with the surface moisture with or without oil, with or without steam. You can darken it by brushing a little butter on the hot crust using a pastry brush. I'm sure it is some kind of rapid physical reaction with heat and moisture. I had a spot of it on a loaf where the foil tent wasn,t completely tight, a tear in the foil, making me think it had something to do with the speed of the hot air moving on the surface.
Take note of relative humidity, time of year, oven temp. Including pre-heating actual temp and baking temp with any discrepancies. Dough surface moisture or lack of it. Cover or no cover. Type of oven. Type of bread dough and hydration. Anything else you can think of. Maybe these posts can give you ideas.
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/18709/new-bread-book-and-whitening-crust
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/59332/dry-white-crust
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/comment/375564#comment-375564