You have just baked a bread and let it cool for a few minutes and you see that the bread is quite soft than before. This is not a problem for some breads like white bread or milk bread, even if that’s good news for you, but it would ruin your favorite sourdough. Today in this article we will talk about “Does bread soften as it cools?” – The reasons behind it and the solutions to it.
But, today, in this article we will answer the question: “Does bread soften as cools?”, why does this situation happen – the reasons, and the solution which you can keep the bread’s crispy crust for days? So, keep reading.
Does Bread Soften As It Cools?
Yes, bread softens as it cools because of the moisture trapped inside the bread. Cooling it fully inside the oven can solve this problem. For guidance and all check below.
Main Problem: Moisture
The main problem for which the bread softens when it is cooled is the moisture trapped inside of it. When you have prepared the dough there’s a lot of moisture in it. When you are baking it a lot of moisture has gone out of the dough making it crispy. But even after the completion of the baking process the bread still contains some moisture.
If enough moisture has not escaped the bread, it will move outwards will make the bread collapse causing the bread to soften when it is getting cold.
Solutions
There are a few solutions to this problem. Below is the best one you can use.
Turn The Oven Off And Let It Cool Inside That.
When you have finished baking then don’t just take the bread out of the oven. Keep it in the oven till it’s completely cool. Let the trapped heat of the oven vaporize all the moisture in it. Don’t forget to open the door of the oven a bit, otherwise, it will cause the bread to be soggy.
Also, make sure your bread has enough area on the four sides of it so that the excess vapor won’t make the bread soggy. This process is only eligible if you have taken the bread out. Otherwise as instructed, let the bread be cool in the oven with the door a bit ajar.
In this way, you can easily keep the crust crispy for days.
Also, there are some things you should check if your bread softens when it’s cold.
Some More Things To Check
Is Your Bread Fully Baked
As you have just learned the moisture causes the bread crust to be destroyed. And the moisture has to be let out completely before you store the bread inside your container. And if you do not give enough time to bake it then a lot of moisture will be inside of your bread and it will be impossible for you to make the bread crispy.
Usually, you should cook the bread for at least 30 to 33 minutes. Also, you should preheat the oven to 350 to 360 Fahrenheit before putting the bread inside of it. This also helps a crispier crust to be formed. The borders of the bread become crispier in this process.
Did You Bake at the right temperature?
Besides time your bread should also be cooked in a perfect temperature. For most of the bread, the temperature should be 190 to 205 degrees Celsius. However, some bread may require different or particular temperatures to be baked properly. Like, sourdough bread needs a baking temperature of around 200°C. So, you need to take care of that.
Pro Tip: Try to bake in a Dutch oven. Many sourdough bakers prefer using a Dutch oven for baking. Preheat the Dutch oven to the temperature. And then when you are ready to bake just transfer your bread into the oven. This creates a steamy environment and helps breads like sourdough and others to a better rise and a crispy crust.
Is Your Dough Made Properly?
If your dough is not made properly that can also cause a soft structure of the bread. So, make sure you have made the dough perfectly according to the instructions of the bread’s recipe.
Minor Reasons
Fermentation
Fermentation is super important for breads like sourdough. Fermentation is a process that converts carbohydrates, such as sugars and starches into alcohol or organic acids using microorganisms like bacteria, yeast, or fungi.
A sourdough bread is made through a proper natural fermentation process where wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria present in the sourdough bread interact with the flour and water in the dough.
In these cases, both under and over-fermentation can make your favorite sourdough soften when it cools down.
Conclusion
As you have learned the answer to the question “Does bread soften as cools?” is yes just because of the moisture. In today’s article, you have learned how to manage the excessive moisture trapped in the bread itself that is ruining the bread’s structure and by preventing that, how do you keep your bread crisp for a long time?
By the way, if your bread becomes hard after cooling then you can check this article out, where we have talked in detail in this post about how to keep your bread soft even after cooling. Hope you have enjoyed the article, and thanks for reading.
