In a message dated 98-07-05 02:24:28 EDT, you write:
> OK, bread baking pros, I'm a rank amateur who needs more help. I have a
> consistent problem in that I always get a very pale crust--not the nice
> golden
> or dark brown that I'd like. The loaf I'm baking right now is cottage
> cheese
> dill; I started it at 425 F and after about 15 minutes decreased the
> temperature to 350, where it's been for about 25 more minutes. It's pretty
> blond, as my loaves of any kind of bread have been. What do I need to do
to
> get a nice looking darker crust? My other problem with this particular
loaf
> is that although the first rising was just fine, the second rising, after I
> kneaded it again with my KA and put it in the loaf pan, wasn't so hot. I
> put
> it into the refrigerator overnight, happily noticed this morning that it
had
> risen somewhat, and expected that by the evening it would have risen about
> enough to bake. Well, it looked about the same when I got home from work
> tonight. I took it out of the refrigerator and put it in a gas oven with
> the
> pilot light on, expecting that THEN it would rise some more, but nothing (
> then
> again, it didn't fall, either). I've finally baked it and am not sure what
> to
> expect. I just took it out of the oven and looked and put it back in again
> to
> see if it might get browner and also because I wasn't sure it was quite
done,
>
> even after 40-45 minutes. Any and all critiques of my methods are welcome!
> BTW, it smells wonderful.
>
> Helen
>
If you get the same "under done" results with all recipes, it must not be that
you're lacking sugar or milk or some other browning agent. I would do get an
oven thermometer, and check how the actual oven temperature measures up to the
"advertised" temperature.