It was just one of those days. I decided to try a different recipe from my "Kneadlessly Simple" bread cookbook. This one, "English Muffin Bread" called for a lower oven temperature, 375ºF instead of the 425ºF for the "Peasant Loaf". I wanted to get it ready and in the Sun Oven by 11:00am to take advantage of the warmest hours of the day, but I overslept. It wasn't ready until much later, about 1:30. And of course by then the status of the sun was a bit iffy. Every ten minutes or so a big cloud would roll in, blocking all sunlight and just when I would start to think it was time to call it a day for solar cooking the sun would come back in full force. The Sun Oven was hovering between 250ºF and 300ºF, a little bit lower than I was hoping for. So I compromised. I put one loaf in the Sun Oven and the other in the electric one. Even with the off and on sunshine the Sun Oven loaf seemed to be doing fine. Unfortunately, when it was close to being done a massive, dark cloud moved in and the Sun Oven temperature began to drop rapidly. Since the indoor oven was already on I finished baking it there. Both loaves came out good and there was very little difference between them. I think the breads that bake at a lower temperature are more suitable for the Sun Oven. I'll try again when the forecast is for a day of full sun. It's not like we don't get plenty of those here.
They look fantastic! I'll bet they taste delicious too! I'm hitting the sourdough starter this weekend! It's actually more active after sitting in the fridge for a couple of weeks than it was when I first made it, so I'm excited about how the bread will turn out! I'm trying my hand at that and more french baguettes. Those were a big hit with my husband!
ReplyDeleteThe texture looks pretty much the same. How about the crusting and taste? And, what were you doing, sleeping in like that? Hmmm! I'm jealous...
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