Bread Baking Tip

Eponda · February 2000

Nice to see what appears to be a growing interest in bread baking here on the BGE forum. One does not live on BBQ alone. This post is to pass along my current method of adding moisture to the early baking environment. After I set up my masonary mass, I tuck a tuna fish can, minus the tuna, into whatever space I can find. When all is up to temp., the loaf goes in and I put a couple of ice cubes into the can. This gives me steam for about 5 minutes without having to worry about the dough getting wet and blistering from spraying into the top vent.

Nature Boy · February 2000

Eponda,
Thanks for the tips! Being new to bread I am trying to learn what I can. The French bread I cooked, without water, was very moist inside. (I did mist one loaf twice in the first 5 minutes) What advantage is there to using water in the egg?? [p]Thanks
NB

Mike Oelrich · February 2000

Nature Boy,[p] OK, this is going to sound crazy at first, but the reason you want the steam is to get a good crust. Don't believe me? Read the article, by Shirley O. Corriher (author of "Cookwise") at the link below.[p]MikeO[p]PS Send me the directions to your place. I should be able to stop by in between work and voting!
[ul][li]Bread and Steam[/ul]

Eponda · February 2000

Nature Boy,
The moisture at the beginning of the bake allows the top crust to continue to expand as the yeasts give off their last gases. This last expansion is called "oven spring". The moisture also helps to carmelize the crust giving it the nice brown color. After the first five to ten minutes the oven (egg) should begin to dry out so the crust will be crisp. Moisture inside the loaf is more a function of the recipe, how moist the dough is at the beginning of the bake, and how well developed the dough is (long fermentation times) and being sure not to over bake the loaf.

Mike Oelrich · February 2000

Eponda,[p] Wow! Though we posted nearly simultaneously, it sounds like you read the article I linked to my message![p]MikeO

Nature Boy · February 2000

MikeO,
I emailed directions. Come on by.
Thanks for the link.

Eponda · February 2000

MikeO,
Nope, didn't read the article until you posted it. I started baking bread with my mom over forty years ago. I've read a lot in that time so would have a hard time attributing my info. Learned much the hard way, practise and more practise. Baked my share of "cobble stones" along the way. There are good books available these days, many have been referenced by Mary and others on the forum.

Mary · February 2000

Eponda,
Um, I agree with your tip as the usual ways of opening the egg and misting or a pan of rocks has been less than satisfactory in the egg, but blistering on the crust is a desirable thing in french bread. The baby smooth tops of wonder bread are not what you are after in french bread.[p]Mary

Eponda · February 2000

Mary,
Certainly agree about the gas blisters being desired. What I was trying to avoid was probably more of a function of my poor aim trying to spray down the top vent. Got some large drops of water with a bit of soot falling on the loaf a couple of times.

Mary · February 2000

Eponda,
I certaintly agree soot drops are not desirable. Trying to mist from the dome top is not good.[p]Mary

db · February 2000

Mary, thank you Mary for reminding me about basic bread.
I had gotten into the habit of adding oil or butter and a bunch of other stuff to give my bread some flavor. This weekend I did flour, water, salt, and yeast rolls. I let it
develop for a good 6 hrs (punching down once in a while) and the flavor was excellent. The family raved.
db[p]

Char-Woody · March 2000

Mary, That reminds me, Gertl would tend to agree with you, one of our most humorous posts..
C~W

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