Thread: Who bakes bread?

Looks so tasty!

IGNORE THIS

Central Milling has a sale on AP and whole wheat flours. 25 lbs. bags for $15! If I remember right, their 5 lbs. bags ar usually close to $10, so this is insane. Shipping is probably going to be more than the flour.

Originally Posted by planeden

Central Milling has a sale on AP and whole wheat flours. 25 lbs. bags for $15! If I remember right, their 5 lbs. bags ar usually close to $10, so this is insane. Shipping is probably going to be more than the flour.

Listed as on sale due to overstock but--

https://centralmilling.com/product/o...-lb-overstock/

Originally Posted by cudarunner

Listed as on sale due to overstock but--

https://centralmilling.com/product/o...-lb-overstock/

Oops. I just checked the email. Sorry everyone.

This morning I baked 2 sourdough loaves in a Challenger Bread Pan.
The recipe came from Peter Reinhart's book, "Crust and Crumb".
I proofed the loaves in 14" bannetons overnight in the refrigerator.
Baked 18 minutes @ 475F with the lid on, then 25 minutes @ 450F with the lid off.

The Challenger Bread Pan:


The loaves:


The crumb:

I thought that that was interesting until I saw the price.

I sent a link to my wife who then noticed the weight.......

Baked a loaf of sourdough today. I have been making boule shaped loafs and baking in a cast iron Dutch oven. This time I made a batard shaped loaf and baked it under an enameled roaster. The crust isn't pretty but I am experimenting making the crust softer. I don't like the crisp crust.

Originally Posted by boz

The crust isn't pretty but I am experimenting making the crust softer. I don't like the crisp crust.

Just a couple of suggestions; maybe you've tried these already:

Throw a couple of ice cubes into the roaster when you put it in the oven, and/or spritz the loaf with
cool water. The idea is to generate as much steam as possible inside the closed baking pan.

Increase the "lid ON" time, and decrease the "lid OFF" time proportionally. If you used 20 minutes
"lid ON" time in the cast iron, make it 25 minutes; and decrease the "lid OFF" time to 15 minutes,
or less.

The bread is done when the internal temperature reaches 205F +/- 5F. A remote-reading meat
thermometer helps to get that right. You could also try a slightly lower oven temperature, like 425F,
during the "lid OFF" segment. If the core of the loaf is done, that's all you need, no matter what
the crust looks like.

Buttering the crust while the loaf cools will soften the crust. Storing the loaf in a zip lock bag also
softens the crust, especially if the loaf is stored in the refrigerator.

ps: I forgot one...loosely "tent" the loaf during the "lid OFF" phase with aluminum foil.

In general 190F is the temp for bread completion. Once you go higher the bread starts to dry out. Notice I said in general.