While baking home made bread, what is the secret to having a soft crust? Mine always seems to come out HARD... even if I put butter on the top after its done cooking.

Ginny www.rockinredranch.com

-- Ginny D (yehagirl@rockinredranch.com), December 20, 2001

Answers

I put a pan of water in the bottom of the oven when I bake bread and it keeps the crust soft.

-- shari (smillers@snowcrest.net), December 20, 2001.

Brush the top with milk after rising in the pans, but before baking. The crust will be chewy, but thinner - and not hard. Including milk products in the bread dough itself can help too.

-- Alice (megatron_revised@yahoo.com), December 20, 2001.

Ginny, I brush mine lightly with water(instead of butter)after baking. It makes the crust nice and soft. I use a basting brush.

-- Kari (prettyhere@truevine.net), December 21, 2001.

My understanding is that basting with oil or butter before baking will make the crust soft (or no crust). Water is what you use to make the crust hard.

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), December 21, 2001.

Put one tablespoon of corn starch in one cup of water. Bring to a boil, stirring until thickened.

Brush this on the loaf during the baking and after taking it from the oven. It makes the top really shiny and the top and side soft.

-- Suzi Nutter (thangka@earthlink.net), December 22, 2001.

I put the butter on before baking.

-- Cathy N. (notmyaddy@noviruses.com), December 23, 2001.

From the Betty Crocker 1956 cookbook, I was taught to brush the top with butter AFTER taking from the oven, and then cover the loaves or buns or rolls with a DAMP TOWEL until the bread was cool. Makes the tops nice and soft (although I prefer hard crusts). This works and is especially nice for dinner rolls or cinnamon rolls that I want to be soft. Good Luck!

-- Bonnie (chilton@stateline-isp.com), December 26, 2001.

Yep same as Bonnie, including a damp towel for rising. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), December 26, 2001.

Thank you to everyone who answered. I tried cooking again, I put a pan of water in the oven, covered the dough with butter before I baked it, and after it baked, and cut off 15 min of cook time... It was so moist, and I didnt have to use a power saw to cut it in slices...

Thanks again.... now I need other recipes, I am getting tired of the Back to Basics Book Recipes! hehehe Ginny www.rockinredranch.com

-- Ginny D (yehagirl@rockinredranch.com), December 26, 2001.