The bottom of my bread is like concrete!

[helena goodall]

Hell there, I was wondering could anyone help me with this slight problem I have when I've baked my breads. I made a lovely tomato bread and mixed seed bread the last few times, but the bottom of it is like concrete and is impossible to cut through or eat! I cant figure out why that happens. Could I be adding to much of a certain ingredient or have the oven too hot? (I usually have it up to 200 degrees and turn it down after about 20 minutes) I'd really appreciate any help given! Thank you.

**Also, just a little tip I was given that really made my breads soft and moist. When you put the bread dough in a loaf tin place an empty loaf tin over it and it keeps all the moisture in when cooking and gives you really soft bread!**

 

[boar_d_laze]

Hi Helena,

The bottoms of your loaf pans are getting extra hot from the radiant heat coming off your oven floor. 

Put a large pan filled with hot water in the rack beneath the one you put your loaves on.  Put the water pan in a preheated oven and give the oven another 10 minutes for the temp to completely stabilize before putting the bread in directly above the water pan.

Bread prefers a humid oven, anyway.

If you want a soft top, as for a sandwich type bread, it helps to use a steady, medium-hot oven in the 350F - 375F range.  The initial high heat you're using helps develop "crackle" on the crust but otherwise does nothing for the bread except hasten the cooking.  So if you try a lower, steady temp, remember to add an extra five minutes to the time.

Nothing wrong with bread pans as covers, but you may at some time want to try a "cloche."

BDL

 

[helena goodall]

Thank you. I'll definitely use that next time I'm baking. What exactly is 'cloche' that you mentioned? I've never heard of it before.

 

[chefbazookas]

Unless he's speaking of a flapper hat, I believe he's referring to the following: