December 23, 2021 - 7:42pm
Hamelman’s Bread: Can anyone help me interpret this
Hi! I’m trying to follow this instruction (shown in the picture) for “mixed-flour miche.” I interpret it to mean it’ll be a 75 min bake, total… although I think it could be argued it’s a 60 minute bake, the last 45 of which are at 420 degrees. Thoughts?
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It's a 60 minute total bake. Start at 440F and reduce to 420F after 15 minutes.
The 3rd edition is more specific: "With normal steam load he breads at 470F (243C). If the loaves are coloring too quickly lower the oven to about 440f (227C). Total bake time should be about 60 minutes."
It's 60 min total baking time. Start baking in a 440F oven with steam, 15 min later vent the steam, reduce oven to 420F and bake for another 45 min at 420F.
If you are not sure, you can always turn the oven off after one hour and keep the loaf inside for another 15 min, for 75 min total time. For a 5lb miche it won't make big difference. It will make the loaf a bit crustier, that's all. As Hamelman says in this text, this dough has high water content, so it won't get too dry.
In other places in his book Hamelman gives instructions to bake 4.5-5lbs loaves for one hour as well. So this amount of time is normal.
It’s not crazy that I thought “440 for about 60 minutes” meant… 440 for 60 minutes! But I guess I’m just being too persnickety about the specific language used in that one line — 440 for 60 mins followed by 15 mins of 420 makes absolutely no sense! So by process of elimination… ha.