I recently came across a recipe for Sicilian Semolina Bread. I love the flavor, but shortly after letting it sit for about an hour, I find that the crust has softened. I don't usually make this type of bread, so I am not that familiar with it. I should mention that I live in South Carolina, USA where the humidity can be pretty high. Any suggestions would be great!
The recipe is pretty basic: semolina flour, bread flour, a little honey, salt, and water and yeast.
Thanks!
Softening of the crust like that could be because there's too much moisture in the interior of the loaf. As the loaf sits, some of that moisture comes out and softens the loaf. This will usually happen anyway, but you can reduce the effect.
Try reducing the baking temperature a little and baking for longer. At the lower temperature the crust will take longer to brown, and the longer baking time will offset that. 5 or 7 minutes more will probably be about right.
TomP
Sounds like a great idea. I will also reduce the amount of water in the dough to see if that helps too. Thanks for the advice 👍
All you can do is what is said. But - there's always a but - it will change with your humidity. If you keep an eye on it - the humidity that is - you'll be more consistent. Enjoy!
It seems to come down to moisture inside and moisture outside, as stated. This thread is informative, look for Breaducation's posts. Another member found the crust stayed crispy longer if the bake started in a cold oven, but attributed it to a longer bake time.
Recrisp the crust by putting the loaf back in the oven. Times & temps vary, and some say brush/spray water on loaf before reheating.
Will, if you are reading this, did you find any difference in crust crispiness after moving to AZ?