Been baking the past 6 months or so and very happy with how my loaves have been turning out, BUT I don't love how hard the bottom crust is. I will slice through it so nice and soft and then have to hack away when I get to down there.
Process (if needed):
475g bread flour
325g filtered water
100g bubbly, active starter
10g salt
Mix together and knead for 5 to 10 minutes (however long I can stand it) – sit for a half hr.
Four to five rounds of stretch and folds every half hr-ish.
Overnight bulk ferment in warm room
Shape in the morning, put in fridge for second bulk ferment for between 8 and 36 hours before bake off.
Bake in Dutch oven (that has preheated for an hour) in a 490 degree oven for 20 min. Take off lid, lower temp to 465, and bake for another 15 min.
Things I've Tried to Prevent Hard Bottom:
– Put a sheet pan under the Dutch oven (doesnt seem to make a difference)
– Put ice in when first starting the bake (this might make crust crisper?)
THANKS
(And a couple pictures of my loaf today for fun)
by thebigyellowjoint
17 Comments
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I put a thin layer of rice down in the bottom of the Dutch oven before placing my parchment paper / loaf in it. The rice acts like a barrier and absorbs the harsher heat / burn and leaves the crust a much nicer texture
A baking sheet on the rack below the Dutch oven is what fixed mine. I’m sorry it’s not working for you! Have you tried dry rice under your loaf? I’ve never tried that trick but maybe it’ll help.
RICE
itll change ur life
I do a cold-start bake as per Elaine Boddy/’foodbod’ blog and also on Instagram.
Also, I use an enamel dutch oven rather than a cast iron one. Lighter to lift/maneuver and less burns!
That’s what works for me.
Forgot to say that I use a thin layer of polenta on the base on baking paper, too.
p.s. What a beautiful loaf,
OP!
I have the same issue so I guess it’s time to try rice like everyone is saying. I’ve tried ice and it doesn’t work, I also using a baking sheet and that doesn’t change much. I do want to try a loaf pan loaf because they don’t require preheating the pan so I’m curious if that will change anything as far as crust goes. Thanks for helping me solve this too
It looks delicious
Pizza stone! Make sure to have it preheat for at least 30 mins b4 using
Does the rice impart any flavor?
I preheat the Dutch oven, as soon as I put the loaf in I put the Dutch oven on a cast iron pan, put that on a sheet tray and on the rack beneath I put another sheet tray
I take the bread out of the Dutch oven after 20 minutes, and put it back. I keep either a pizza stone or cookie sheet on the rack under the bread.
I use corn meal underneath my parchment paper. Can usually get a handful of loaves out of it before it needs to be replaced!
I use the wire rack from my insta pot. Put the loaf on it and no more really hard or burnt crust
Put a baking tray on the rack below the one your bread is on.
I had this same issue, I think the easiest way is aluminum foil underneath, I fold up a big sheet so it’s about 3 or 4 layers thick and wide enough to cover the whole bottom of the Dutch oven. Lay that down on the oven rack. Then the Dutch oven. Still use parchment under the bread. You can save the foil for future bakes too. It deflects just enough heat to where I get an even crust all through out, not too hard on the bottom.
Eating more bread helps
I make an aluminum foil disk that acts like a cushion for the bread to sit on. It’s reusable and it doesn’t burn like rice.