When You Don’t Use Steam in Bread Baking 

Real quick, I just wanted to share with you a lesson I learned in bread baking.

In Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, it consistently instructs us to pour 1 cup of hot water into a hot broiler pan under the pizza stone.  This creates steam in the oven and helps the bread to have a crackling crust.

Well the other day, I prepped two loaves of Bran Enriched White Bread to take to a dinner party.  I got distracted and completely forgot to use the broiler pan and hot water.  To my surprise, they came out with a paler and thicker crust.  I could actually knock on them.

I still took them to the party and called them "rustic peasant bread" made from scratch.  Every one chowed down and were thrilled to eat home baked bread.  They were not ruined by any means, the bread just had a thicker crust and soft in the center.

Anyways, back in the kitchen while the oven was still hot.  I pulled, dusted and shaped another loaf for sandwiches.  This time, I did not forget the broiler pan and water and the loaf came out beautifully!  See the loaf on the left in the picture?

The loaf on the left came out a beautiful golden brown, it crackled & sang as it cooled, and I could gently squeeze the crispy crust and make it sing some more.  PERFECT!