September 12, 2014 - 8:17am
This Morning's Effort
I have to say, apart from it's mildly misshapen physique, I'm pretty pleased with this.
Basic white loaf recipe, twice risen, baked on my pizza stone with a steam bath beneath, oven sprayed at 10, 20 and 30 minutes.
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Where's the bread?
Just kidding... Looks nicely puffed up. I bet it didn't last long.
Why spray? There's an old saying that for every time the oven door is opened, five minutes more baking time is needed. :)
from now on ... it was gone very quickly!
Why spray? One of the may conflicting bits of advice you find here and there ... figured I'd try and see what happened .. the crust was, actually, incredibly crispy, yet delicate ... was that the spraying? I ask that as the one the night before was just baked with a water bath and had a much firmer, more elastic crust ...
Might have more to do with the length of time the steam pan was churning out steam. Opening the oven releases trapped steam and I suspect more was released than trapped when spraying. Closed oven with long steam more often than not gives the thicker crust. Has also to do with the oven temperature. Spraying tends to lower the oven temp. Try next time no spraying but a slightly lower oven temp. Watch the steam pan too to see when it goes dry. 10 minutes is a great time to vent the oven and/or remove the steam tray for a thinner crisp crust.
Compare releasing steam with initial oven spring rise. Take detailed notes! Then make your own decision about it and the recipe involved. :)
As soon as I put the loaf in; it seems to result in a rhobust oven spring.
I have a Ham Bread proving now. I'll try a consistent 425 and a no spray steam.
Results to follow ...
a total disaster ... made cake.
However, tried Jeff Hamelman's French (poolish) baguette recipe (baked as a boule) with steam bath, spraying at 10, 20 and 30 minutes and temperatures starting at 500 and then instantly reduced to 460 .. absolute awesomeness (well, you know what I mean ... the texture at the seam at the base is a little dense ....)