The purpose of a bread tin lid is to restrict and shape the rise. The lid contains the rising dough within, contributing to a perfectly cube shaped loaf. If you're looking for an expressive rise, then leave the lid off. The dough will expand past the tin rim and should balloon above it.
If the loaf is browning too fast but doesn't sound hollow, cover the bread while baking by creating a tent out of foil to help prevent burning. Yeast breads containing butter and/or sugar often need this step.
Some recipes may call for it but in most cases, no. However, it may be desirable in that it helps trap stream which in turn can make for a better crust. You've just got to be careful how you cover it as you've got to let it rise properly as it cooks (known as oven spring).
foil. Storing bread in either plastic, cloth, or foil helps retain the loaf's moisture. This moisture retention is a plus when it comes to the bread's crumb (interior) — but a minus if you're talking crunchy-crispy crust, since wrapping bread will inevitably soften its crust as well as its crumb.
If it's cold or dry the dough won't rise as well as it should. So covering the dough while it rises keeps the moisture IN and the drying air out. And any residual heat from the warm water or milk will be held in as well. Making for that warm rainforest-like environment you want.
You can bake your bread covered, then leave uncovered for 10 or so minutes to create a crust. Giving your surface a solid hour to preheat will ensure a perfectly risen loaf. Oh, and spray the sides of your oven with water for extra steam. More steam means more time for your bread to expand.
No you don't need to cover your loaf pan sourdough bread, you can bake it uncovered in your oven at 200C/392F for 45 minutes. A spritz of water before you place it into the oven is a good idea and provides a little steam but it's not essential.
If you want to reduce the time for the dough to rise, cover your dough. Place plastic wrap or a bag over your bowl to trap moisture and warmth into the dough. If you leave your dough uncovered, it will dry and harden on the surface.
The water turns to steam, which rehydrates the bread's crumb, or interior, while the heat of the oven firms up the crust. As a bonus, your kitchen smells great.
For best results, we want a non-porous, tight-fitting cover that will keep the dough from becoming too cool or developing a skin. And a towel doesn't cut it: The porous material allows heat to escape, causing the dough to lose temperature.
Do you brush the bread with butter before or after baking? It's best to brush on melted butter after your bread is baked in the oven, but while it is still warm and cooling on a wire rack.
Use oil to trap moisture insdie the dough
Instead of covering the dough during proofing time, experienced bakers rub regular olive oil on the dough, creating a barrier between the dough and the oxygen in the air and making sure there is no contact between two and preventing the liquids in the dough from evaporating .
Carbon dioxide is responsible for all the bubbles that make holes in bread, making it lighter and fluffier. Because gas is created as a result of yeast growth, the more the yeast grows, the more gas in the dough and the more light and airy your bread loaf will be.
Yes, you can let your bread rise overnight in the fridge. Keep in mind, though, you'll want the dough to come back up to room temperature before baking.
The second proving has given the bread more elasticity, and made it harder to deflate the air. Second rises may add significantly to the total time it takes to complete a loaf of bread, but the step can be essential to achieving the taste and texture inherent to a number of popular breads.
Make sure that it has a lid, to prevent a tough skin from forming on your dough. Make sure that lid is not airtight, you want the gases from the yeast to escape or you will get a crazy alcohol smell building up in your bucket. If you have airtight seals on your bucket, just leave them ajar and it will be just fine!
Doneness Tips for Breads
If you're ever in doubt, it's better to cook the loaf a little longer than to undercook it.
As above, spraying water over the dough just before the bread is baked will create a flexible crust which expands in the oven. Water and steam help to produce bread with a nice sheen and a bubbly effect where the water evaporates on the bread.
Spraying or brushing loaves with water while they bake will produce a crispy and crunchy crust with a nicer (in my opinion!) colour than the unglazed one. Water keeps the dough skin from forming the crust, enabling the dough to expand. It also smooths out the crust, creating a more refined appearance.
Excess yeast causes extra air bubbles to form, creating holes in the baked bread. You prepared the recipe correctly. The interaction of the various ingredients and the preparation method used for French bread and sourdough bread are intended to create a bread which has a coarse texture and uneven holes.
Breads: High temperatures (>425ºF) are really important in bread baking because higher temperatures lead to a better, faster rise before the gluten in the bread (and also the crust) has a chance to set.
It's Not Cool Enough
Most loaves of bread should cool for at least 2 hours before cutting. When cut too soon, bread can appear soggy with a heavy, dense texture. This is because the stream trapped inside hasn't had a chance to dissipate.