I got it started right away and by 11:00 this morning it was ready for the Sun Oven. This loaf was better than Sunday's but still not quite as good as the conventionally baked one. The problem, I think, is the air-tightness of the Sun Oven's cooking chamber. The bread is coming out a little too moist. The loaf is baked in a pot with the lid on at first then uncovered towards the end of the baking time. The recipe calls for a temperature of 425ºF for 55 minutes, then the lid is removed and the bread bakes for another 20 minutes. Because of the Sun Oven's lower temperature I baked it covered for a full two hours and uncovered for another hour. Next time I am going to try leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow more steam to escape. Hopefully I'll get this right in the next few attempts. Consuming a loaf of bread every other day is not good for our waistlines.
Does the recipe call for covering the bread in the conventional oven? I never cover my breads in solar oven. Will have to try this...
ReplyDeleteYes, it does for the first 55 minutes then uncovered for 20. I think it's to keep the crust from burning before the loaf is cooked through and to prevent it from drying out. Since drying out is not really a problem in the Sun Oven I'm going to experiment. First I'm going to leave the lid ajar. If it's still too moist I'll try something else. Another cool thing about this bread baking method is it uses commercial yeast. No finicky starter to feed and look after. I really recommend checking the book out from the library. There really is a science to this new bread baking method. It's very easy, but there are a few things that are done in a radically different way from conventional bread baking - the covered pot is just one of them. As for the timing - it seems extreme at first, but the flexible rising times actually make it easy to fit it into your schedule and not all the recipes need to rise as long as the one I used.
ReplyDeleteI applaude your persistence! I think you have a good idea there to allow steam to escape. Not that I'm any kind of bread baking expert or anything! LOL! It still looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteI'm so psyched to have found your blog. I've got a solar cooker too, and everyone thinks I'm nuts! I'm always looking for recipes that work with the solar cooker, so I'll be following you now.
ReplyDeleteGee, breads, I have never tried them my solar oven, but after you inspiring blogs I will have to try. Cheesecake, yes: Breads, heaven help me.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Penniless, there are a bunch of us following this wonderful blog, but she commented to only one year and July 1 is coming away too soon.
Welcome Penniless. Thanks for following. As Jim said I'm committed to cooking every sunny day until the end of June. However, I'm enjoying blogging so much that I plan on continuing beyond that. Just not on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteOk, I don't mind if you don't do it forever and ever. Just finding someone who currently solar cooks, to bounce ideas off of, and reading back entries for even more ideas is good enough for me.
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