Bonni,
I get good results with par baking, but it's important to follow a few
guidelines.
First, make sure the bread you plan to parbake has no flaws, as they
will be magnified by the parbaking process. It should not be underproofed
or overproofed and must be fully aerated and active. Use a recipe with
which you are very comfortable. Second, concern yourself with conserving
moisture. The extra cooling cycle between parbaking and finish baking will
cause a net loss of moisture. Employ a means of steam generation during
both the parbake and the final bake (I use a cast iron skillet in the bottom
of the oven and a handful of ice cubes thrown in immediately after loading).
Third, make the transition from hot to frozen as short as possible. Wrap the
breads in plastic as soon as they are cool enough and freeze them
immediately. Don't refrigerate them. Ever.
I parbake the breads at their regular temperature until the crust JUST
begins to color. Denser breads will require slightly more color than open
textured breads to insure their cores are set. Only testing will tell you
the exact amount. The important thing is to be sure the center of the loaf
is well set. Although I've never tried it, an instant read thermometer may
allow you to achieve consistent results.
To finish baking, allow the bread to thaw in its plastic. Some people
claim that frozen parbakes yield a moister loaf, but I've found the heat
transfer to the center of the loaf is MUCH more even and controllable with
thawed parbakes and the oven time is shorter. Use a high temperature and
watch closely. Bake them to the desired crust color. If you notice the
browning is uneven or the crusts become too brown before heating the core,
reduce the heat a bit. Try to use the hottest oven and the shortest time
possible as this will conserve moisture.
It is almost impossible to tell a properly parbaked loaf of bread from a
fresh loaf. Furthermore, parbaking allows you to maximize your valuable
time by preparing larger batches that can be finished whenever you want
fresh bread. If freezer space is available, why not use it?
Greg
Petoskey, MI