So, I was a bit bummed this afternoon as I was slicing my loaves of whole wheat sandwich bread and discovering the tunnel down the center (I am attributing this to my loaf formation and possibly a too long proof time...) As I handed a slice to my wife to try, she informed me that our daughter's best friend told her that she was jealous of the homemade bread that her sandwiches are made from. Definitely lifted my spirits!
Either loose shaping or too much bench flour while shaping. Overproofing would likely cause the loaf to collapse in the oven.
Jim
I think I may have had a combination of the two since not only was there a tunnel, but the loaves fell about an inch or so in the oven. Of course, my daughter had a batch of cookies baking which delayed my loaves going in the oven. Good thing they were delicious!
Sometimes, the big guy upstairs says... "Make Bagel Bread" That is always my story for tunnels, and I am sticking to it! I am sure the bread was still delicious!
It was pretty darn good. As my wife said, we can just use the holey slices for toast...
Slice the bread, butter lightly, put on a fry pan, drop an egg in the hole and fry. Great breakfast food.
One more idea for holey bread. It has a name I just don't know what it is.
I know it as "Toad in the Hole". "Egg in a Hat" sounds more appetizing, though.
if "necessity being the mother of invention" the Egg in the Hat, or Toad in the Hole, or whatever name used, was "invented" eons ago by a creative baker in whom's loaf a tunnel appeared... it certainly would have been a way to make it look intentional. Just thinking!