Muffuletta bread help
I have been making my own muffuletta bread for a while. I by no means am a baker so my results are varying from time to time and wondered if someone can help me achieve more consistent results. Here is the recipe I use.
12 oz/355g warm water (between 105°-110°)
2 Tbsp/18g olive oil
1.5 tsp/5.25g table salt
1 Tbsp/9.5g instant yeast
1 Tbsp/12.5g sugar
3.5 cups/518g bread flour
Mix together and knead then place in a greased bowl to rise for 1.5 hours. Punch down and split into two loaves. Spread into two greased 9" round pans and let rise another hour. Brush top with egg white/water wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 400° for 40 minutes. It is a regular oven not convection.
The reults have varied between having a nice rise with a soft crust similar to sandwich bread, to a low rise with a semi-hard crackly crust. Sometimes there are big gas bubbles in it as well. Im trying to achieve the higher rise or thicker bread with a softer crust so it isn't as hard to slice. Any help in achieving consistency would be great. Thanks.
at 68% hydration with plenty of yeast. I.m guessing that the water, flour and room temps are making your variations along with timing. So, get a notebook and start writing down details. Include date, location, flour type, yeast type and all the rise and temp details. Note additions of flour and water along with kneading times. Weigh the finished dough each time. Baking details and results. If you don't have a separate oven thermometer, get one and keep it inside the oven at about the level of the bread. Costs around $5. After a few loaves you will have some information to compare the bakes.
Just off hand the high yeast amount could be lowered for longer fermenting if more flavour is desired. You can also experiment with sugar using a tastier one. Don't forget your olive oil, do some taste testing first and find one you really like, aftertastes most important. Try also baking with half AP and half bread flour to compare.