Do you make your own bread?

[LONDONER]

Crusty crust I get via using a cookie sheet that has a low lip. When the oven is hot (preheated) and ready for the dough, I microwave two cups of water for 3 minutes, getting if boiling hot, and pour that into the cookie sheet what sits on the shelf below the loaf pan(s).

I don't know why, but the steamy environment leads to a crustier crust, especially with whole or cracked wheat and other flours that are whole grain.

Butter (not margarine) melted and brushed over the top of the dough leads to a thicker crust that ends up tougher, more chewy. Egg white ends up making a crust more shinier, and and forming a harder crust which is very thin.

I used to bake with different artisan flours, specialty flours or 'hobby' flours. Different techniques lead to interesting results depending on the flour you use, the mixtures of flour.

Understand that current weather can affect the overall texture of bread. Winter baking and summer baking can have a huge impact on the overall consistency, texture and crumb of a bread. The difference between a dry day and a rainy day can lead to epic failures or epic wins....

Humidity, and the temperature of the house as you let the dough sit for it to rise have impacts on the final outcome. Even the temperaure of the surface you are kneading the dough on can have a minor impact on how the yeasties do their thing.

Thanks for all that useful info. One thing is that I don't use butter, milk or margerine so that part of your info. is no use to me. I do know that different flours need different treatments. I have used a small proportion of rice flour at times and find with that I need much more liquid.

My recipe for my spelt flour bread is:

2 cups of water in the bread machine recipient first, 650 grammes of flour, a heaped teaspoon of dried yeast, salt to taste and then about 50 grammes each of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and linen seeds and then a good slosh of extra virgin olive oil. Everything goes in to the machine and three hours later I have my loaf. It's the lazy way of doing things but it never fails.