Problem with burnt bottoms of bread rolls... any advice?

[VegLover]

Hi everyone,

I recently started a home-based business, making baked goods and selling them to local residents and at the local convenience store.

I've just been asked by a 'gourmet-ish' burger van to supply them with brioche hamburger buns. I have a great recipe and tested them today. Unfortunately the bottom of the rolls burned a little.

I experience this problem sometimes with other breads, so I'm not sure if I'm doing something obviously wrong?

I use parchment paper (good for up to 400F). Rolls were baked at 400F and roll bottoms burned + paper turned dark brown c. 5 mins before the 15-minute baking time was up.

But I make French Baguettes on a very regular basis and experience no burning / paper browning at 450F. I line the paper for the baguettes with cornmeal and it doesn't burn either. I use a longer baking tray for the baguettes.

Has anyone experienced something similar?

 

[Aunt Bea]

I sometimes double the pans or set pans on a baking sheet to prevent browning.

 

[Andy M.]

Doesn't it sometimes help to cook them in the top half of the oven?

 

[kadesma]

Wondering, sugar in the brioch dough and not in the French? Maybe reduce your oven temp? Mine tends to run hot so I lower the temp with anything that has sugar in it.Not sure though. I don't bake a lot
kades

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Three things have been mentioned, and each is relevant. Cook your bread in the top half of the oven. make sure the oven temperature is accurate. Cook on a shiny, silver pan rather than a dark pan. Dark colors absorb heat more effeciently, and so the metal of the pan is hotter, which can burn the foods touching them.

Using a product, like an air-bake pan helps insulate the cooking surface from getting too hot. Another approach would be to line your baking sheets with a Silpat mat, or other silicone baking sheet. Silicone is a poor heat conductor and so will allow the bread to cook through without burning the bottom crust.

Hope that helps.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[bakechef]

400 seems high for such a rich dough. Brioche has sugar and eggs, correct? I would lower the temperature and if that doesn't work, double up on the pans.

Brioche will always be a bit darker on the bottom, but shouldn't taste burned.

 

[VegLover]

Thanks everyone, I love you guys! Any time I have a question about something, people on this forum are so helpful and obliging.

I'll give some of these suggestions a try on another test batch tomorrow and see how it goes. Thank you very much!!!

 

[blissful]

When I make pasties, I add a little sugar to the dough to promote browning.

From what I read, sugar in dough starts to brown/caramelize at 347 degrees F. So for doughs with sugar, it might have to be baked at a little lower temperature.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Cook on a shiny, silver pan rather than a dark pan. Dark colors absorb heat more effeciently, and so the metal of the pan is hotter, which can burn the foods touching them.

I was thinking the same thing when I read the OP question. An America's Test Kitchen clued me in to the ways that color and other qualities of baking pans and sheets can affect browning. I would suggest trying a different pan. Longwind knows more than me about it and I wouldn't presume to add anything more.

 

[CWS4322]

The only time I've had a problem with a burnt bottom was when sunbathing in the nude..but seriously, different pan, adjust the shelf height, and check to see if your oven runs true. The oven at the farm is about 25 degrees hotter than what the dial says.

 

[blissful]

The only time I've had a problem with a burnt bottom was when sunbathing in the nude.

So so true. And the only persons to notice were the chickens.

 

[CWS4322]

So so true. And the only persons to notice were the chickens.

Dangerous activity to do in Rocky's presence!

 

[VegLover]

Thanks for the amusing comments above ;-)

And thanks everyone for their advice. As it turns out, the hamburger van people called this morning and said that they have decided to go with cheap (and cheaper) pre-packaged store-bought buns (@25c a bun) to reduce their costs and increase their profit. I am disappointed because they originally wanted to have an outstanding, hopefully award-winning burger bun instead of using store-bought stuff. At 53c (ingredients, labour, electricity and packaging), mine came out pricier... albeit 100 times more delicious.

My husband and I have been debating whether or not I should have gone for a lower price. I wanted to, but he keeps saying that my time is worth something, and I'm not producing mass-churned-out stuff like supermarkets.

For anyone who's interested, the recipe I based mine off is at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/01/dining/011brex.html?ref=dining

Only difference being that I used only all-purpose flour as well as salted butter.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[VegLover]

... oh, and the ingredients list in the NY Times article omits to mention that 1 cup of tepid water is required in the yeast mix (it's mentioned in the instructions further down, but not in the ingredients list)

 

[Addie]

... oh, and the ingredients list in the NY Times article omits to mention that 1 cup of tepid water is required in the yeast mix (it's mentioned in the instructions further down, but not in the ingredients list)

When I am listing a recipe in my computer I have a certain method I use. First the title at the top in the center in bold. Then I put down Preheat the Oven to required temperature. Below that if it requires certain treatment to pans, I list that. Next comes the word "Ingredients" in bold, then the ingredients with any special instructions beside it. Then the Word "Directions" in bold, then the directions listed 1,2,3, etc.

It makes for easier reading and following the directions step by step. We all know to preheat the oven first and then prepare the pans before we even start. But sometimes we forget. By listing the ingredients, you can gather everything you need first.

The following recipe is an excellent example.

ORANGE CAKE​

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Prepare and grease 10-inch Bundt pan.

Directions:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) sweet butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, separated
1-1/2 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
grated zest of 2 oranges

Orange Glaze (recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Cream the butter and gradually add the sugar, beating until
light. Beat in egg yoke, one at a time, and the orange zest.

2. Sift the flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add
dry ingredients alternately with the orange juice to the batter.

3. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the batter.

4. Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 30 to 35
minutes, or until sides of cake shrink away from edges of pan
and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Cool for 10 minutes in pan, unmold onto a rack and drizzle
with Orange glaze while warm. Cool before serving.

(8 to 10 portions)

ORANGE GLAZE
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Combine orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan and simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until light syrup forms.

As you can see, it is easier to follow step by step. It is how all recipes should be written. Even the ingredients for the glaze is separated from the directions. Even though it is a simple thing to do. So many recipes I have seen give you the ingredients as it gives you the the directions. Impossible to follow or read.

 

[bakechef]

I always rewrite recipes in a way that will make sense. For baking recipes, all wet ingredients are listed together and all dry ingredients that will be sifted are listed together, with add ins at the very end. It's amazing how many recipes out there are just written poorly.

 

[Andy M.]

I list the ingredients in the order they will be used in the recipe. I also use a bold underline to separate groups of ingredients that are used together.

e.g., in Addie's recipe, I'd list butter, sugar, egg yolks (I would list the whites later) , zest and underline the last item, the zest. I got the underline idea from another member (forgot who) and liked it a lot.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I too have adopted the methodology that I'm obsessive about listing ingredients in exact order used.

I often divide ingredient lists into groups, and the groups usually match individual steps in the methods (or significant steps) which are listed following the last ingredient.

Some people head all the ingredients "ingredients:" and follow that with either "method:" or "directions:" ... Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Of course it's obvious which is which. I sometimes wonder if it's better with the headings or without. I've never been able to make up my mind.

Another interesting style is Joy of Cooking style: ingredients are listed above each step of the method, alternating ingredients and steps throughout the recipe. Although this is a good style I still prefer to write my own recipes with all the ingredients you need at the top of the recipe, shopping list style.

There are many ways to style recipes and I'm sure people will always differ on their preferences.

 

[Matts girl]

Hi everyone,

Unfortunately the bottom of the rolls burned a little.

Food for thought Veg, I only use Stone for all my breads....never had a bottom to burn! Perfect everytime!

 

[Aunt Bea]

Thanks for the amusing comments above ;-)
My husband and I have been debating whether or not I should have gone for a lower price. I wanted to, but he keeps saying that my time is worth something, and I'm not producing mass-churned-out stuff like supermarkets.
.

IMO you should price your products to cover your costs and provide a fair wage with benefits to come up with a wholesale price and then add a good margin for profit to come up with a retail price. If you make a superior product people will pay the premium price without quibbling. The extra few cents your customers pay will not have much if any impact on them. The higher price will ensure a living wage for you and your family, not slave wages. If you find that the business cannot support this type of pricing then tweak it a little or forget it. It is better to find out in the beginning than to put everything you have into it and burn yourself out. Good luck!