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A loaf of bread is a staple breakfast option in most homes. While getting a store-bought bread is a convenient option, the added preservatives and stabilisers don’t make it a healthy option for everyday eating. If you’re a home baker, this is your sign to bake bread at home. For achieving a soft loaf with a crisp crust, you can scroll through these professional proofing and hydration tips.
Since a steam oven relies on controlled humidity for baking the bread, keep these pointers in mind to stay clear from a messy and inconsistent loaf. With Usha’s steam oven and a little practice, you can easily switch from making your bread at home and ditch the store-bought breads that come with a suspicious list of ingredients.
Hydrate The Dough As Per Oven’s Humidity
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The hydration percentage is the ratio of water to flour that must align with the capabilities of Usha’s steam oven. If your steam oven produces high, sustained humidity, you can set the hydration percentage to 75-85%. Alternatively, if your model offers light steam, keep the hydration closer to 65-70%. If the hydration percentage is off, the dough will only rely on external moisture, and you can get a hard and flat loaf of bread.
Use Minimal Flour While Kneading
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While kneading dough, you’re always tempted to add a little more flour to get rid of sticky dough. However, when baking in a steam oven, ensure the dough is well hydrated to achieve a dense loaf. Instead of adding flour, you can lightly oil your hands and handle the dough without getting your fingers all sticky.
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Steam Inject In The First 10-15 Minutes
Steam matters the most in the first half of the baking process when the dough is expanding, and the crust isn’t set. The added flush of steam delays the formation of the crust, giving you more time to get perfectly baked inside. Doing so in the first ten to fifteen minutes will also help the bread to rise, get a lighter crumb, and a glossy crust,
Dry Bake To Get A Crisp Crust
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Once you inject steam into the dough in the beginning, you can then taper off and switch to dry mode. Using the combination of steam and dry baking will give you a shattering crisp crust and a deep caramel glaze. So, ensure that you drop the humidity level of Usha’s steam oven to 0% for the remaining 20-25 minutes of baking time.
Track Results Across Bakes
There is no one-size-fits-all rule in baking. To ensure consistent results across your baked treats, measure the ingredients properly, keep track of hydration and steaming times, and record the results. Just don’t be afraid to experiment, and depending on the ingredients you’re using, you’ll get to know which ratios, proofing time, steam duration, and temperature settings work best for you.
