Okay, so I’ve been on this sourdough kick lately, right? And the loaves were okay, coming out of my Dutch oven, but I really wanted that classic, elongated bread shape. So, I decided to get a bread mold pan. I’d seen them online, these long, sometimes perforated pans, and thought, “Let’s give this a shot!”
Finding the Right Pan
First things first, I needed to find a pan. I looked at a few different ones – some were non-stick, some were metal, some had little holes all over. Honestly, I was a little overwhelmed. I ended up choosing one that was non-stick, because who wants to deal with bread stuck to the pan? It was also a decent price, so I figured, why not?
The First Attempt
When the pan arrived, I was super excited. I mixed up my usual sourdough recipe, let it do its first rise, and then it was time to shape. This is where things got interesting.
- I dumped the dough onto the counter.
- Tried to gently coax it into a long-ish shape.
- Carefully placed in into the pan.
It looked… okay. A little lumpy, maybe, but I was hopeful.
The Bake
I let it proof in the pan, covered, for a couple of hours. Then, into the oven it went! I followed my usual baking routine – a high temperature at first, then lower it down. I was seriously peeking through the oven door every few minutes, so curious to see what was happening.
When I finally pulled it out, I was pretty happy! It had risen nicely, and the crust was a beautiful golden brown. The shape was definitely better than my Dutch oven loaves. More like what you’d see in a bakery. The crust was wonderfully crispy.
The Taste Test(Important part!)
Of course, the most important part – the taste! After letting it cool (the hardest part!), I sliced into it. The crumb was good, nice and airy. And the flavor? Still that delicious sourdough tang. Success!
Lessons Learned
So, would I recommend a bread mold pan? Yeah, I think so! It definitely helped with the shape, and it was pretty easy to use. It’s not magic, you still need a good dough and baking technique, but it’s a fun tool to have in your bread-making arsenal. I’m already planning my next loaf! Maybe I’ll try adding some seeds next time…
