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Thread: My bad eperience making bread in a solar oven

  1. #1

    Default My bad eperience making bread in a solar oven

    I'm sure that my problem is that I did not bake long enough and probably should have baked hotter but here is my story.

    I used a stored bought bread dough. In a conventional over I baked at 350 degrees for 20 minutes and I did a second loaf for 30 minutes. Both turned on perfect.

    Now I heated my solar oven to 250 degrees. I could have gotten close to 350 degrees but decided against it because many times, on a less than very hot day, my solar oven won't get past 250 so I wanted to try on the lower end of the scale. Anyway, I raised the bread outside in mid-80 degree heat and then put it in the 250 degree oven. The bread continued to rise another 30 percent which was quiet a bit more than I would have normally wanted. I baked it for 50 minutes while trying to keep the temp around 200 to lower 200s. It actually ended up hitting 275 for the last 15 minutes. The bread never got brown and when I puller it out it fell back to a normal size, but looked like heck. I could tell it was not done. Anyway, what a failure.

    My question is, was my main malfunction time, temp or rised to much? Many websites say that bread is commonly baked at 200-250 degrees. I think it fell for lack of support because it raised to much. I should have baked for at least 1-1/4 hours I think. Should this have worked at 200-250 degrees? Also, why didn't it start to brown? I read that misting it with water helps it to brown. Is this true?


  2. #2

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    I think I just found my problem. The articles which say 200 degrees are talking about celcuis which is about 400 degrees F. Boy, sure wish I could delete this thread.

  3. #3

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    Bread is usually cooked in a 400 to 420° oven for about 20 minutes. Much longer than that and you start to mummify it.
    It did fall because it rose too much. You experienced a prolonged "oven spring" that overextended the loaf. The oven spring is the last bit of expansion by the yeast before it dies at 140-ish degrees. Keep the bread below that temp for an extended period and you will get over expansion and flop. You can't save it so I just keep it cooking until done and use the bread later for stuffing or bread pudding.

    Misting with water does not help it brown. When using steam to bake, you have to do it in the first 10 minutes of cooking and you don't apply it directly to the bread, more to make a steamy environment surrounding the bread. It does make the crust flakier but it doesn't contribute much to the browning, in fact it inhibits it somewhat.
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    I would guess we will have to wait a bit before we call you "Sofasurfer-Baker?"
    Sounds like a learning experience....

    Nice to know you may have a solution
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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Cooking is all about chemistry. You don't always have to know the why's but it sure helps to understand them sometimes. Baking bread is one of those times. Once you understand what is taking place it makes it so much easier to do it gooder.

  6. #6

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    I also suspect that the extended rise was caused by having the loaf prewarmed as it rose in the summer sun.

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    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Yes it rose too much and the temp was too low to bake it and just kept it rising.
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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Baking is part science and part art. It could have been worse.

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    Why are you using a store bought bread dough? The whole point of making your own bread is making your own dough. Of course, if you were just testing the oven, that's fine. I guess I can think of a bunch of reasons to just buy the dough.

    It looks like you already figured this out, but I cook my bread at 400F.
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    My experience when embarking on an experiment is to start with a known starting point....

    Experiment here was "Baking the bread".....not making the bread.

    Store bought dough gives a know starting point...
    So when the Baking Part is successful you can move on to the art and science or baking.
    One step at a time.....
    I would have done it the same.....
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  11. #11
    Not a Mod finallyME's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hunter63 View Post
    My experience when embarking on an experiment is to start with a known starting point....

    Experiment here was "Baking the bread".....not making the bread.

    Store bought dough gives a know starting point...
    So when the Baking Part is successful you can move on to the art and science or baking.
    One step at a time.....
    I would have done it the same.....
    yeah... makes sense
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    If it helps, overrising can happen to anybody. I've been making my own bread for 23 years...first thing I learned how to make on my own...and the last batch I made, just a couple of weeks ago, I had that problem. Still tasty as anything, but a lot flatter than i wanted. Heat and humidity were not my friends that day, and I probaby could have used about a half cup more flour.


    That said, you also have the right of it with the temperature....that's not hot enough. I'd still recommend giving it a shot with home made dough. Using a simple recipe, mind. Maybe no-knead bread.

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