Loaf bread crust = FAIL

[FluffyAngel]

I made 2 loaves of bread today. They rose beautifully, punched down, let rest again, chopped in half, placed in bread pan to rise. They rose, but - when put in the oven for what the recipe said 400 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes. The bread didn't continue to rise or stay risen, whatever, it didn't mound up beautifully like it should've. Also, I don't think it had time. Recipe called for 15 - 20 minutes. It was done and top crust burned in 11 minutes. The sides & bottom was a beautiful medium golden brown. The inside tasted good, but I still considered it a fail because it didn't come to the right finish. Any troubleshooting ideas appreciated.

 

[FrankZ]

Did you slash the tops to give them room to spring?
Did you spritz them?
Did you steam your oven?
Are you sure your oven is accurate?
Does the bread use sugar? If so, how much? The more you use the lower the oven needs to be to keep from scorching.

 

[Aunt Bea]

If the recipe contained fat, that will also promote browning.

I only let mine rise once and then form the loaves for the second rise.

The steam helps to form a nice crust. I toss a couple of ice cubes in the oven when I put the bread in.

I also grease the tops of white country loaves when I take them out of the oven. The grease helps to soften the crust. I omit that step when making an Italian style bread where the crust is the star. Just a little butter or shortening on a paper towel wiped over the tops is all it takes.

 

[FrankZ]

I also grease the tops of white country loaves when I take them out of the oven. The grease helps to soften the crust. I omit that step when making an Italian style bread where the crust is the star. Just a little butter or shortening on a paper towel wiped over the tops is all it takes.

I brush the top of mine with milk.

 

[bakechef]

Does your oven have hot spots? Placing the rack too high in the oven will often over brown the crust if your oven is a conventional one without a fan in it.

If this is a standard loaf bread, 350 for around 30 minutes should bake the loaf quite nicely.

 

[GLC]

The obvious culprit in such a catastrophic failure is the yeast, perhaps yeast that is too old. Or you forgot and added a great deal of excess salt. Or you changed to an instant yeast this time, and some of them poop out early. But it seems to be simply a matter of the yeast quitting early. I'll bet it seemed to you that the last rise in pan before baking wasn't as vigorous as you expected. There's nothing else that would do this without something else being so far out of the normal that it would be obvious. Use regular, fresh yeast, and I suspect the next round will work fine.

 

[FluffyAngel]

Did you slash the tops to give them room to spring?
Did you spritz them?
Did you steam your oven?
Are you sure your oven is accurate?
Does the bread use sugar? If so, how much? The more you use the lower the oven needs to be to keep from scorching.

Did not slash tops, but observed a friend do this recipe and he performed no top slashing.
Did not spritz them - what does this do?
Steam my oven? New to bread baking, lost here.
I was actually at my Dad's using his oven which I think is secretly powered by it's own sun cooks & way too hot , so, accuracy? Not.
The recipe does use 5 T sugar
Thanks.

 

[FluffyAngel]

If the recipe contained fat, that will also promote browning.

I only let mine rise once and then form the loaves for the second rise.

The steam helps to form a nice crust. I toss a couple of ice cubes in the oven when I put the bread in.

I also grease the tops of white country loaves when I take them out of the oven. The grease helps to soften the crust. I omit that step when making an Italian style bread where the crust is the star. Just a little butter or shortening on a paper towel wiped over the tops is all it takes.

Thank you. I will try steam.

 

[FluffyAngel]

Does your oven have hot spots? Placing the rack too high in the oven will often over brown the crust if your oven is a conventional one without a fan in it.

If this is a standard loaf bread, 350 for around 30 minutes should bake the loaf quite nicely.

No "hot spots" exactly. The Whole oven is like...volcano heat. It's equally hot - always has been. I think this oven was an experimental oven "switched at birth/home delivery". The rack was dead center. I could lower it. Also will definitely lower temp next time. Thanks.

 

[FluffyAngel]

The obvious culprit in such a catastrophic failure is the yeast, perhaps yeast that is too old. Or you forgot and added a great deal of excess salt. Or you changed to an instant yeast this time, and some of them poop out early. But it seems to be simply a matter of the yeast quitting early. I'll bet it seemed to you that the last rise in pan before baking wasn't as vigorous as you expected. There's nothing else that would do this without something else being so far out of the normal that it would be obvious. Use regular, fresh yeast, and I suspect the next round will work fine.

I feel certain the yeast was not old because it's a brand new purchased this morning jar and... I made cinnamon rolls out of the same yeast this morning and they were perfect. But maybe I got a different kind. I don't know. Too sleepy. Will look in the a.m.
Thanks for your help though.

 

[FrankZ]

Did not slash tops, but observed a friend do this recipe and he performed no top slashing.
Did not spritz them - what does this do?
Steam my oven? New to bread baking, lost here.
I was actually at my Dad's using his oven which I think is secretly powered by it's own sun cooks & way too hot , so, accuracy? Not.
The recipe does use 5 T sugar
Thanks.

Slashing helps the bread have room to expand when it goes in the oven (and can look cool too). The yeastie beastis give it up when they hot the heat and have one final breath, that springs the bread.

Spritzing with water helps the top stay moist and pliable during the spring. The dough will get set quick when it goes into a very hot oven.

When I bake I take my spray bottle and turn the nozzle to mist and spritz the bread, then turn it the other way to a wide stream. Bread goes in and I spray the bottom of the oven with water to produce steam.

How much flour did you use for that much sugar? 5 Tablespoons seems like a lot to me.

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

Slashing helps the bread have room to expand when it goes in the oven (and can look cool too). The yeastie beastis give it up when they hot the heat and have one final breath, that springs the bread.

Spritzing with water helps the top stay moist and pliable during the spring. The dough will get set quick when it goes into a very hot oven.

When I bake I take my spray bottle and turn the nozzle to mist and spritz the bread, then turn it the other way to a wide stream. Bread goes in and I spray the bottom of the oven with water to produce steam.

How much flour did you use for that much sugar? 5 Tablespoons seems like a lot to me.

+1

 

[FluffyAngel]

+1

I slashed the tops. BINGO! Thanks rose beautiful and stayed risen.

 

[FluffyAngel]

I brush the top of mine with milk.

I brushed one of two loaves with milk. Yes, this did help keep the top crust from burning. Thanks for the tips.

 

[FrankZ]

I brush with milk when they come out of the oven...

 

[FluffyAngel]

I forgot to steam the oven. Oh well, next time. Thank you all again. I will keep you informed on my progress.

 

[bakechef]

My nana always brushed her bread with milk when it came out of the oven, I never knew why, but she always did it.

 

[FrankZ]

Makes the crust softer and chewier...