Home Bread-Bakers v108.n023.2
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Re: baking temperature

Roel Wyman <roel.wyman@gmail.com>
Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:36:49 -0400
v108.n023.2
Here's an interesting twist on the need (or not) for 
thermometer-accurate bread baking. Last Friday I had prepared Challah 
as usual, only to discover that the oven at the cottage would not 
heat past 150 F. (It turned out that one of the fuses had blown, but 
I only discovered that the next day).  The chicken was slow-cooking 
on the barbecue, the next door neighbour was not home and the 
microwave was not convection, so I was at a loss. The balls of dough 
were rising nicely in the pan and had got half way to the top, but 
what to do? I noticed that a certain setting of the barbecue knobs 
gave a lid thermometer reading of 350 F, so when the chicken came out 
the bread pan went in on the right side, with the flame on the left 
to avoid burning the bottom.  The bread rose slowly until it was a 
good 4 inched above the top of the pan and baked thoroughly to a 
crisp golden brown with no light spots and no burning in about 50 
minutes. In fact, I have never gotten loft like that!

I think I came as close to hearth baked quality as I am ever likely 
to do, and next week I think I'll try it again with a different kind of loaf.

Roel