Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 02:04:27 GMT -------------- BEGIN bread-bakers.v108.n020 -------------- 001 - "Allen Cohn" Subject: RE: internal temperature of bread Date: Mon, 19 May 2008 08:09:43 -0700 Bread dough is full of water so it really can't get above the boiling point of water (212F) unless all the water has been baked out. (That would be bad. So, you're shooting for a temperature above the point that the starch is cooked (gelatinized) and below the boiling point of water. In practice that means that soft breads like brioche are done around 185-195F and lean breads like a crusty rustic bread are done around 200-208F. Allen SHB San Francisco PS: I've always wondered if cakes can be checked for doneness the same way.... I suspect some bakers do. --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n020.2 --------------- From: "Werner Gansz" Subject: Subject: RE: internal temperature of bread Date: Mon, 19 May 2008 11:41:17 -0400 Mike, the safe answer is 200 deg F for lean breads, 205 deg F for breads with food in them like brioche, cheese, or potato breads. At some point it is a matter of personal preference as to the desired texture of the crumb. At 195 degF the crumb of a lean bread will be fully baked but the crumb will have a moist texture. Personally I prefer baguettes at 195; once the baguettes are out of the oven the thick crust that I get will gradually loose it crackle as it cools and become pull-apart chewy as the moisture works its way back into the crust. However a moist crumb can be mistakenly interpreted to be under-baked. Baked to 200+ deg F a baguette will have a completely dry crumb, which may be preferred by some. Breads with food in them will maintain a moist interior even above 200 Deg F. Get a handheld digital thermometer that will hold its reading. You can insert it into the bread, keep your hands out of the oven for a few seconds, and then push the hold button as you remove the thermometer. After a few bakes of breads of different sizes and shapes you will learn to read the internal temperature by the color of the crust. But initially a thermometer is a big help in getting the right balance between temperature and bake time for each type of loaf. Werner --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n020.3 --------------- From: "mike fuller" Subject: rice flour bread w/o wheat? Date: Mon, 19 May 2008 11:15:04 -0500 Anybody have a rice flour bread recipe with zero wheat flour? thanks mike from havana --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n020.4 --------------- From: aqn@panix.com Subject: Re: internal temperature of bread Date: Mon, 19 May 2008 15:42:03 -0400 (EDT) I don't know about challah, but for the "normal" bread that I bake (French bread and ciabatta, mostly) I aim for an internal temperature of 205-208F. I believe "The Breadbaker's Apprentice" calls for 205F. My advice is: experiment! Andy Nguyen --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n020.5 --------------- From: MA Subject: Re: internal temperature Date: Mon, 19 May 2008 15:08:38 -0700 Fully baked bread should register between 200 to 205 F using an instant read thermometer, if I remember right. Check Julia Child's Way to Cook cookbook to confirm the temperature. Also, if you have a microwave convection oven, use the bread baking cycle or bake at 10% power with convection. Reduce the baking time a bit and your bread should bake nicely. Mary --------------- END bread-bakers.v108.n020 --------------- Copyright (c) 1996-2008 Regina Dwork and Jeffrey Dwork All Rights Reserved