Does baking bread longer dry it out?
I am wondering if baking bread longer results in more dryness of the crumb. It seems like the more "artisan" recipes often push the crust to near the point of burning, presumably for flavor, but does this reduce moisture?
I would assume it does, except I read in "The Science of Good Cooking" that the internal temperature of bread will not exceed around 210 degrees F because of the moisture it contains.
Also, is this related to achieving the shiny, "fully gelatinized" interior I have seen praised? My breads never look that way - do I need to bake longer?
Thanks
Here's a picture
Best Answer
Yes, prolonged baking (or even letting the bread cool down in the turned off oven instead of taking it out) will dry out the bread. I can confirm it from my own experience.
I doubt the idea that the internal temeprature will keep down at 212 F. This is true of water in a bowl, but the moisture within the bread is not a puddle of water. It could turn to vapor (which can easily get hotter), in theory it could superheat (although I don't imagine that happening in bread), etc. And even if the water itself stays at 212 F, this is no reason for the solids to keep at that temperature, the water will cool them somewhat but not to the point of full equilibrium.
And even if the temperature would keep at 212 F, this is no reason to assume that this would prevent the bread from drying out. Starch gelatinization is a complex process, which goes at different speeds at different temperatures, and the water itself, if kept in equilibrium at 212 F, will be slowly turning to vapor, and this vapor will be slowly evaporating from the bread.
Bread with very dark crust is not made by prolonged baking, professionally it is made in higher temperature ovens, and with some additions to the dough (malting enzymes). If you try to use prolonged baking instead, you may get darker crust, but you cannot avoid drier bread then. I have not read any of the sources you reference, and tend to bake my bread by the oldschool books, this means removing it when the internal temperature reaches somewhere between 96 and 98 C.
I have never connected a shiny interior to full gelatinization, for me it tends to happen when I have higher gluten content. Maybe there is some connection, but if yes, I am not aware of it.
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How do you keep bread from drying out?
Storing Bread The best way to store bread is to keep in a paper bag and put it in a bread box (remember these boxes from our childhood?) Or just a dry dark place. You can also put the bread in the paper bag, close the paper bag tightly and put it in a plastic bag but keep the plastic bag open so air can flow.Why does my homemade bread dry out so fast?
The primary reason for this is that the bread is still baking inside. The crust has trapped enough steam inside the loaf to continue working its magic and create a great crumb. If you let that steam out too soon, the entire loaf will be drier. Allow your white bread to rest for at least one hour (two hours is best).How do you keep bread moist when baking?
Steam in bread baking: Method #1 The simplest method of adding steam to your oven is to spray the loaf with warm water prior to putting it into the oven. Spray the oven once the bread is loaded, and then again about 5 minutes into the bake.How much moisture does bread lose when baked?
Bread loses 10-25% of its original dough weight through the production process. The majority of the weight is lost through moisture loss during proofing, baking and as the bread cools. Home bakers and small bread producers should expect a weight loss of about 15-20%.The 7 Most Common Breadmaking Mistakes You’re Probably Making
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