When it comes to the temperature to bake bread at, things can vary quite a bit. But we’ll figure out everything you need to know about the baking temperature for bread right in this article.
I am no expert when it comes to baking loaves in an oven. I’m still more of a bread machine type of person but I still enjoy reading a lot on the wonderful process of making bread.
I always enjoy discussing these sort of things, like the proper temperature for baking bread and how long it takes. Another interesting subject relates on measuring the internal bread temp and whether we should do it or not.
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My Temp to Bake Bread At
If I bake on a baking sheet and I shape the dough to resemble a baguette of sorts, my go-to temperature to bake bread at is 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). I bake a loaf for about 30 minutes.
Depending on the oven, at 375 it will take 30-35 minutes until the loaf is baked. But it might also take 40 minutes if you want a more darker crust.
You can also choose to bake loaves at 475 degrees Fahrenheit (245 degrees Celsius) for 20-25 minutes.
I’m pretty sure that when I first started baking loaves in the oven, I asked my mother about the best temperature for baking and how long it would take and that’s what I stuck with.
The bread will make a hollow sound when tapped. That’s how you can tell for sure that the interior is all done throughout.
But you can also tell about how the loaf looks and smells. That baked smell is simply mouthwatering. A bread maker certainly doesn’t compare when it comes to delicious smells.
While researching the best books about bread, I saw that things can vary even when it comes to the baking temperature for bread.
I told you my temp to bake bread at but let’s see what the experts have to say about their methods.
Baking Temperature for Bread: Different Recommendations
In Bread Baking for Beginners, the recipes that use a Dutch oven for baking involve the 475 degrees Fahrenheit (245 degrees Celsius) baking temperature for bread and the baking takes 40-45 minutes. 25 minutes of baking is done with the lid on and the rest is done with the lid off. The pot is also preheated empty with the lid off. This is done for all breads, including batard bread.
For the recipes that are done in a loaf pan, the temperature to bake bread at is 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.
Focaccia is baked at 475 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes.
In Paul Hollywoods Bread, the baguettes are baked at 390 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) for 25 minutes and then at 355 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) for another 10 minutes.
In The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day the baking is done on a baking stone. The baking stone is preheated for 20 to 30 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius).
The temp to bake bread on a pizza stone is 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 35 minutes. Baguettes are baked at the same temperature for about 25 minutes.
Temperature to Bake Sourdough Bread At
Flour Water Salt Yeast salt is one of the best books on sourdough breads. It’s fantastic but you must be really passionate about making sourdough bread.
The author, which is also a famous baker, always bakes the loaves in a Dutch oven. Check out my post on the best Dutch oven for bread if you want to know more about these absolutely amazing pots.
Since a Dutch oven is involved, a preheat of the empty pot with the lid on is necessary.
The preheat is done for 30 minutes at 475 degrees Fahrenheit (245 degrees Celsius).
The temperature to bake sourdough bread at according to this book is 475 degrees Fahrenheit (245 degrees Celsius).
For example, the recipe called the Saturday white bread starts with the dough made first thing in the morning, the shaping into two loaves is done 5 hours later, and then the baking is done in the late afternoon, after about 1hr15min.
The baking is done in a preheated Dutch. The baking temperature for this sourdough bread is 475 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s baked for 30 minutes with the lid on and then for another 20 minutes with the lid off.
Another absolutely amazing book on sourdough bread is called Tartine Bread.
In that book, the Dutch oven is preheated empty with the lid on for 20 minutes at 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Their temperature for baking sourdough bread is 450 degrees Fahrenheit with the lid on for 20 minutes and another 20-25 minutes with the lid off until the crust is the color of deeply caramelized.
What to Do After the Bread is Baked
Immediately after the bread is done baking, remove it from the oven and let it cool on a rack. You can also place it outside to let it cool.
The loaf is placed on a rack to prevent condensation from making the bottom moist.
After that, you should let it cool down for about 20-30 minutes before you slice the loaf. While it rests, the interior, the crumb, actually continues to bake. It needs those 20-30 minutes to finish the process of baking.
And that’s pretty much all you need to know about the temperature to bake bread at, the things might vary slightly but these guidelines found in awesome books will offer you all the needed knowledge about baking temperature for bread.
