I used to bake my rye bread at 425 for 40 minutes and it was always a bit dense.

Then I read a tip from a baker in Portland about dropping the temp to 375 and extending the bake to almost an hour. I tried it last month and the crumb is so much more open now, it's a total game changer. Has anyone else found that a lower, slower bake works better for certain doughs?

3 comments

3 Comments

clark.robin26d ago

Wait, the yeast is still working in the oven? Honestly, I had no idea that was even a thing. I just thought the heat killed it right away.

nathana4826d ago

Absolutely, that lower temperature trick works wonders. I've found it gives the yeast more time to do its final bit of work in the oven before the crust sets. It seems to prevent that gumminess you can get in the middle of a dense loaf. My whole wheat sandwich bread improved a lot with a similar method.

nina_jenkins26d ago

Gumminess in the middle" sounds like a baking fail, not a science project. I've never had that happen just from my oven temp, @nathana48. Maybe it's more about the recipe than the method.