Howard Larson mentioned difficulty achieving much oven spring. This is how
I (a lazy baker) create breads at home with good oven spring.
Basic bread
Combine in order in BM machine bucket or mixing bowl.
180 ml warm water (or adjust to your flour with experience)
2 Tbs barley malt (I use light malt from beer shop sans hops)
1 ts salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbs butter or 3 Tbs olive oil
2 1/4 C Sam's Club bread flour
2 Tbs gluten
2 ts instant yeast
Knead in BM 5-6 min.
Remove, shape, place in lightly oiled standard bread pan and cover with
another, inverted bread pan.
Allow to rise (~20-30 min) in warm place.
When the crown reaches just to top of the lower pan spray the loaf with
water, make three diagonal slashes across top and re-cover with the top
bread pan securing each end with a pair of binder clips. Place in cold oven
and turn on to 375 F. Bake for 30 min, turn off oven, remove top pan and
leave loaf in cooling oven for another 10-15 min. Under these conditions
the oven spring causes the loaf to completely fill the top pan giving
a rectangular loaf with excellent hard crust and good holey crumb.
I can add up to 1/4 cup of rye, flax meal or sesame seeds without changing
the basic formula. I don't make whole wheats as I am not fond of the
herbaceous taste. Luck !
bill bowers