Perfecting The Pana: Achieving Crust With Simple Techniques

Making crusty bread at home is easier than you think! The key to getting a crispy crust is creating a steamy environment while baking. Professional bakers use steam injectors, but you can achieve the same effect at home by using a covered pan that traps moisture.

Here's a simple recipe for crusty bread:

Ingredients:

- 3 cups flour (can be all-purpose or a mix of all-purpose and whole wheat/white whole wheat)

- 1/2 tsp instant or active dry yeast

- 1 and 3/4 cups water

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the water and stir until blended; the dough will be shaggy and fairly sticky.

2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for at least 10 hours, or 12 hours if you can, at warm room temperature.

3. The dough should be dotted with bubbles all over the top. Lightly flour a work surface and dump the dough out of the bowl; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover and let it rest for about 15 minutes.

4. Gently shape the dough into a ball, using just enough flour to keep it from sticking to the work surface or your fingers. Put the dough seam-side down on a cutting board or kitchen towel and dust with more flour, bran, or cornmeal.

5. Cover with a towel and let it rise for about 2 hours. The dough will be more than doubled in size and will not quickly spring back when poked with a finger.

6. At least 30 minutes before the dough is ready, heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex, or ceramic) in the oven as it heats up.

7. When the dough is ready, remove the pot from the oven. Slide your hand under the towel and drop the dough into the hot pot. Don't worry if it looks like a mess! Shake the pan once or twice if the dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.

8. Cover with the lid (or foil) and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and bake for another 15 to 30 minutes, until the loaf is golden brown.

9. Cool the bread on a rack before cutting into it.

Use a pizza stone or steel to bake the bread on

Pizza stones and steels are great tools to have when baking bread. They are heavy, flat slabs made from materials like terracotta, cordierite, mullite, or steel. They help to create a crispy crust and a soft, airy crumb.

Pizza stones and steels are placed on the middle rack of the oven and preheated to a high temperature, usually around 450-500°F. The preheating time will depend on the material of your stone or steel, with stones often requiring a longer preheat time of about an hour, and steels needing only 30 minutes.

When using a pizza stone or steel, it is important to create a steamy environment in the oven, as this will help to gelatinize the starches on the surface of the dough, resulting in a crisp crust. This can be achieved by using a covered pan to trap moisture or by pouring water into a broiler pan placed on the bottom rack of the oven.

When preparing your dough for baking on a pizza stone or steel, it is recommended to dust the top of the dough with flour and score it with a sharp knife or razor before letting it rise. This will create a decorative pattern on the loaf as it bakes and expands.

Once your dough has risen, it can be carefully transferred to the preheated pizza stone or steel. Parchment paper can be used to facilitate this process, but it is important to ensure that the parchment does not touch the heating element or sides of the oven to avoid the risk of fire.

When baking bread on a pizza stone or steel, it is essential to monitor the baking time and temperature closely. The bread is typically baked at a high temperature for about 25-30 minutes, but adjustments may be needed depending on your oven and the desired doneness of the crust.

Using a pizza stone or steel is a great way to achieve a crispy, crusty bread with a soft and airy interior. By following the steps outlined above, you can create bakery-quality loaves in the comfort of your own home.

Choose a recipe with simple ingredients

Making bread at home can be a fun and rewarding experience, especially when you get to enjoy a warm, crusty loaf straight from the oven. Here are some tips to help you choose a simple recipe with easy-to-find ingredients:

• Basic Ingredients: Opt for a recipe that uses simple, readily available ingredients such as flour, water, yeast, salt, and a touch of sugar or honey. These are the fundamental components needed to create a delicious loaf of bread.
• No Fancy Equipment: You don't need a bread machine or stand mixer to make great bread. Choose a recipe that can be mixed and kneaded by hand or with a simple spatula or spoon. This keeps the process accessible and less intimidating for beginners.
• Clear Instructions: Look for a recipe with clear, concise instructions that are easy to follow. It should guide you through each step, from mixing and kneading the dough to shaping the loaf and baking it to perfection.
• Room for Customization: Consider choosing a recipe that offers suggestions for add-ins or variations. For example, you might find a basic recipe that includes options for adding herbs, cheese, or dried fruit to create different flavors. This way, you can experiment and make the bread your own.
• Visual Guide: If you're a visual learner, seek out recipes with step-by-step photos or videos. Visual aids can be incredibly helpful in understanding the process, especially if you're new to bread-making.
• User Reviews: Reading reviews and comments from others who have tried the recipe can give you valuable insights. Look for recipes with positive feedback and take note of any adjustments or tips that others have shared.

By following these guidelines, you'll be well on your way to choosing a simple and enjoyable bread recipe. Happy baking!

Create steam in the oven

Creating a steamy environment is essential to achieving a crackly crust and a good rise for your bread. Professional bakers use steam injectors in their ovens, but you can replicate this at home by using a covered pan that traps moisture.

Use a Dutch Oven

A Dutch oven or cloche can be used to keep the moisture given off by the bread close to the surface of the loaf, allowing for expansion and a shiny, golden crust. You can preheat the oven empty or with the bread inside, but remember to remove the lid after 20-30 minutes of baking.

Use a Cast Iron Pan

Place a cast iron pan on the bottom rack of your oven and preheat it along with your oven to 500-550 °F. Once you put your bread in the oven, carefully pour about 8 ounces of hot water into the pan and quickly shut the door. This will create a burst of steam that will keep the exterior of your bread moist, allowing it to expand easily.

Use a Metal Bowl

Place a large metal bowl over your loaf to trap the steam and keep it close to the surface of the bread. Load your bread onto a preheated stone or steel, then put the bowl over the loaf, leaving a gap between the front of the bowl and the cast iron pan below. Pour about 1/2 cup of boiling water into the pan and shut the oven door. Remove the bowl after 15 minutes and let the bread finish baking in a dry oven.

Use a Broiler Pan

Place a broiler pan on the bottom rack of your oven and add 1-2 cups of hot water or a few ice cubes. Alternatively, you can toss ice cubes directly onto the bottom of the oven after sliding in your bread. The steam from the water will help create a beautiful crust.

Use a Spray Bottle

This method doesn't offer much moisture, but it is the simplest way to add steam to your oven. Spray your loaf with warm water before putting it into the oven, and again about 5 minutes into the bake.

Use Lava Rocks

Fill a cast-iron pan with lava rocks, which get extremely hot and have tons of jagged sides and crevices that increase surface area and generate more steam. Place the pan on the bottom rack of your oven and pour boiling water into it to create steam.

Use a Combination of Methods

You can combine some of the above methods to create even more steam. For example, you could use a cast-iron pan with lava rocks and a metal bowl over your loaf. Experiment to find the best combination for your oven and bread!

Cool the bread in the oven

Cooling your bread properly is an important step in the bread-making process. It is essential to avoid leaving the bread in the hot oven after it has finished baking, as this can cause it to dry out or burn. Instead, transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool. This allows air to circulate around the loaf, preventing the crust from becoming soggy.

To achieve the perfect crust, it is also important to let the bread cool completely before slicing into it. This typically takes around 30 minutes for a small loaf and up to a couple of hours for a larger loaf. As the bread cools, the starch will change back to its original form, and the water molecules will move outwards evenly towards the crust. If you cut into the bread while it is still hot, it will be too soft and wet, and it won't slice neatly.

If you want to keep your crusty bread crispy for longer, you can try cooling it in the oven. Once the bread is baked, turn off the oven, remove the bread from the pan, and place it on the middle rack. Leave the oven door open a couple of inches, and let the bread cool in there. This prevents condensation from forming on the crust, which would make it soggy.

Shape the dough with more surface area

Shaping the dough is a crucial step in the bread-making process. It not only determines the final form of the bread but also develops surface tension in the outer "skin" of the dough, which helps it hold its shape during the final proof and baking. Here are some tips to shape your dough with more surface area for a crusty pan bread:

• Start by lightly flouring the top of your relaxed dough on the work surface. Use a bench knife and your hand to flip the dough over.
• Folding is a common technique used to shape dough and increase surface area. Fold the bottom of the dough up to the middle, then fold each side (left and right) towards the centre, creating an open envelope shape.
• Grab the top of the dough and fold it down just above the middle. Using both hands, grab the new top and gently roll it into a long tube, similar to rolling a yoga mat or beach towel.
• At this point, you can add toppings to your bread by rolling the dough on a towel spread with oats, seeds, or other toppings.
• To ensure a smooth top on the dough, tuck the dough down at the sides of the pan using your fingers. This will help the dough rise uniformly.
• For an even crumb with small holes, you can degas the dough before shaping. This involves gently pressing or punching the dough to remove large air pockets.
• If you want to get creative, you can stitch the dough by pulling the sides inward in small increments, alternating left and right. This technique helps tighten the dough and allows for a longer final proof.
• If your dough feels over-fermented, you may skip the pre-shape and bench rest and shape the dough right away, or do a shorter bench rest to preserve some aeration.
• For dough that is very extensible and spreads easily, you may need to shape it twice. Gently flip the dough over, turn it 90 degrees, and start shaping again.
• For a tighter, more cohesive dough, preshape the dough into loose but organised pieces before final shaping. This will make it easier to form the desired shape.
• To create a crusty bread with a soft, light crumb inside, use all-purpose flour. You can substitute up to half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a heartier crust.
• Remember, the shape of your bread will impact not only its appearance but also its eating quality and intended use. A baguette, for example, has a thin, pointy stick shape, resulting in a thin crust and a maximum crust-to-crumb ratio.
• For a crusty pan bread, you can shape the dough into a rectangular loaf, similar to a bâtard shape, but typically degassed for an even crumb.
• Finally, don't be afraid to experiment and find an approach that works best for you and your dough.

Frequently asked questions