>From: "Eldon and Shanda Solomon" <elby1@globalsite.net>
>Subject: My Two Cents
>Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 11:00:39 -0500
>One problem I've had. . .sometimes my loaves come out of the oven sort of
>exploded on one side. There is a big seam or stretched place one side.
>The bread tastes fine, no one complains, but I'd love to know how to get my
>loaves to come out prettier.
I think that if you will slice across the top of their loaf before placing
the bread in the oven, you will eliminate this. It's called oven spring
and occurs because the yeast goes into a growing frenzy as the temperature
rises in the loaf being baked in the oven. The outer surfaces have already
set and the yeast has been killed while the inside is just warming up to
ideal growing temperatures. Slicing across the top is both decorative and
functional as it produces a "weak" spot where the bread can spread rather
than bursting out the side and a crispier crust. BTW, it takes a very
sharp knife or a razor to cut the dough without tearing it.