[Sca-cooks] Pondering done-ness for bread types

[Terry Decker]

I haven't seen any studies on it, but I think you will find that 
highly-enriched sweet doughs tend not to form a thick crust and lose 
moisture at a faster rate than regular doughs.  I also think you will find 
that the higher ratio of sugar to fat, the more likely the bread will be 
dry.  Fats tend to add softness giving the appearance of moistness, sugars 
tend to bond with moisture.

Enriched doughs tend to be baked between 300 and 375 degrees F with a few 
going to 400 or 425 degrees F.  As a generalization, the harder the dough, 
the higher the temperature.  For their standard sweet dough, the CIA uses 
380 degrees F with 20 minutes for small bake goods, 45 minutes with larger 
loaves, although I suggest you take this comment with a grain of salt as it 
is based on a comparison of only a few of their recipes.  Accurate oven 
temperatures are critical when baking highly-enriched doughs.

Enriched loaves won't give you a hollow thump when tapped, the crust is too 
flexible.  The best way to test the loaf interior is with a probe.   I use a 
very narrow bladed sharp knife to reduce damage to the crust, but a cake 
tester or your toothpick is just fine.

So, when yah gonna post the Vasilopita recipe?

Bear

>
> Recently made a few loaves of Vasilopita, the Greek New Years bread.
> Up to this loaf I have been leery of any bread incorporating lots of 
> sugar,
> and eggs.
> They always seem to dry to me, although I think I am part Raccoon, like to
> have lots of liquids with my meals.
>
> On these loaves rather than baking them like bread for the hollow thump or
> the 190 to 200 internal temperature, I just tested them like cakes, using 
> a
> big toothpick to test for doneness after I had a nice golden brownness on
> the tops.  They were not dry to me at all and I was quite pleased with 
> them.
> And they were much cooler in the center than I would have taken regular
> simple bread out of the oven.  I think they were about 150 to 160 degrees
> Fahrenheit.  Cant remember exactly at this point, and I can't say as they
> had a hollow sound at all when I tapped them
>
> Any one have observances or insights on this?
>
> Now it is time to take a truly beautiful whole wheat loaf out of the oven,
> which I am truly pleased with, the best yet!
>
> Simon Hondy
> "Cum Omni humilitate faciant ipsas artes"
> "Let them practice their art with all humility"
>  -St. Benedict
>
>
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