With two international moves, and using two "foreign" ovens, I just have to ask the question, is it really so hard to make an oven that heats to the temperature that it is supposed to?
At home (in Iowa), I let the bread raise in a warm oven, then
turn it up to 350, bake for 30 minutes, and the bread is perfectly done.
China Bread attempt #1
Golden brown on the outside, doughy in the middle. Really, really doughy.
I ended up throwing it away.
Attempt # 2
Someone lent me an oven thermometer.
No wonder the bread wasn't baking right-- it was really only 250 degrees.
(And yes, I did have the right conversion for Fahrenheit to Celsius. 180 C should be 350 F.
I have to set my oven at 200 C to achieve 350 F).
The oven takes 30 minutes to get up to 350 degrees.
And I should mention that working with a different yeast, I had put too much in.
It was too yeasty. I threw it away.
Attempt #3
Right amount of yeast.
Finished raising the bread on the counter so the oven could preheat.
Got the temperature right.
And realized our oven bakes from the top.
The bread tasted good, but the top was too dark, with a thick crust.
Attempt #4
Success!
Right amounts in the ingredients.
Put the baking shelf at the bottom of the oven.
Got the preheated oven just right.
And the family enjoyed fresh bread for dinner.
Now, I can't wait for my wheat mill for some
whole wheat flour
and my own loaf tins!
You are the McGyver of the Kitchen! Just love it!!
ReplyDeleteCamille
There's nothing like fresh bread! So glad you can enjoy that now.
ReplyDeleteyay! by the time i read your last bread attempt, I felt like you were super woman! I probably would have given up for the day.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the birds! let me know how you like them?? we were thinking about birds but I am very intimidated by the idea.