crust features

My favorite is The Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart. Very good information on getting the type of bread you want. Check your local library and perhaps they will have a copy for you to use.

marcella

Yeah, the Bread Baker's Apprentice is the book I've been using this year. But I find that like others I've seen, it doesn't have much on crust features, or at least not enough for me.

If you put the bread in a plastic bag even the crustiest of breads will become soft. The moisture that's in the interior of the bread will eventually escape through the crust and since the bread is sealed inside a bag the moisture will remain trapped and it will soften the crust. Crusty breads should be kept in a paper bag. They can be re-crisped by placing them in a hot oven for a minute or two.

Ears, I read that somewhere. Let's say you've got a boule loaf and you score it across the top in such a way that one side of the score sorta peels back when baked, One bread baker told me that to get that effect, you score the top at a 45 degree angle rather than 90 degrees as you would for French bread, and I can see how that might work. But it doesn't work for me.

I wonder whether these fancy crust features aren't possible in a home oven like mine. More likely, I'm doing something wrong! Maybe I don't get enough surface tension, or maybe the bread needs a good misting to get more oven spring, or what?

Ears, I read that somewhere. Let's say you've got a boule loaf and you score it across the top in such a way that one side of the score sorta peels back when baked, One bread baker told me that to get that effect, you score the top at a 45 degree angle rather than 90 degrees as you would for French bread, and I can see how that might work. But it doesn't work for me.

I wonder whether these fancy crust features aren't possible in a home oven like mine. More likely, I'm doing something wrong! Maybe I don't get enough surface tension, or maybe the bread needs a good misting to get more oven spring, or what?

They are possible.

Easier to achieve in a gas oven than an electric oven though. Also, I know you said you used Reinharts book, but he suggest a cup of water in a hot pan rather than just misting. In several of your posts though, you only mention misting.

I put a cast iron skillet on the top rack when I start to pre-heat. Then just before adding the bread, I put a cup of water in the microwave on high for 1 minute. Add the bread, pour the hot water into hot pan and there is tons of steam and longer lasting than misting. Makes a really big difference in the crust.

marcella

You guys are just great, thanks for your feedback so far.

I am doing the steam pan, a la Bread Baker's Apprentice. But even there I wonder if I'm doing it right. Yesterday I made some reasonably good bread (firm starter plus 16 oz white to 4 rye, plus lotsa seeds) but noticed again that my steam pan still had water in it after some

15 or 20 minutes. Shouldn't the water all boil away quickly? Shouldn't the steam be heavy at first and then go away?

I scored my bread once again, only to have the score disappear in baking.

Also, what do you think about convection ovens? My oven is new, and I do have the option to turn the convection fan on or off. When it's on, the bottom left hand corner of the oven is much hotter, meaning that I need to move any bread there to avoid a small but dramatic burn spot. Which is hard to do when I bake directly on my rectangular pizza stone.

Wait, I have another question: I read in BBA yesterday that turning down the temperature and baking longer could make my crusts crustier. Otherwise I'm doing the 500 degrees with steam, and then 450, all on the convecction setting.

Thanks again you guys!

When I used to bake bread in a bakery we used professional steam injection type ovens. I never steamed bread for more than 25 seconds. After the steamer went off the exhaust fan would kick on and pull the steam out of the oven. I can't remember the exact scientific explanation but steaming bread really only has an effect on it when it's first put in the oven and it's still doughy. I believe it has something to do with lowering the surface temperature of the dough. Once the crust has formed additional steam has no effect. In fact, it would probably make the bread too soft. Have you tried putting a pan of water inside the oven or spraying the inside of the oven with water and getting the inside of the oven all steamy before putting the bread in? I would try that and maybe give it another good spray right when you put the bread in the oven. After a few minutes though I would open the oven door and remove the pan of water and let the steam escape.