Slashing
the surface of your loaf with a sharp knife just before it goes into the oven will help the bread to expand, and give a pleasing «oven spring».
Although you'll get a thin crust on
the surface of your loaf, the inner texture is still very soft and fluffy, it worth trying.
Generously brush the top
surface of each loaf with egg wash.
Score the top of the loaf: Use a lame, sharp knife, or serrated knife to quickly score
the surface of the loaves.
Not exact matches
To form the
loaf as a boule, invert the dough to a floured work
surface and fold the top, bottom, and sides
of the dough toward the center.
3 Shape the
loaf: On a lightly floured work
surface, pat the dough into an oval shape approximately 9 inches long with the long side
of the oval parallel to the edge
of the work
surface.
Lightly grease a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 3 - inch
loaf pan; line with parchment paper; grease
surface of paper; set aside.
Sprinkle the
surface of your first
loaf with semolina / corn meal (what will be the bottom), and turn out onto the parchment placed on the peel.
Rolling the dough up into a rough «sausage» then bringing into a ball will help form a tension on the
surface of the dough, which will help with the structure
of the
loaf.
I love a
loaf with cracked, crackled top and an earthy appearance; I've never appreciated the alien - smooth
surface of a white
loaf.
Remove the
loaf pan from the oven after 25 minutes (as mentioned above) and spread the pecan mixture over the top
of the bread (by slightly pushing the pecans into the
surface of the bread, so they don't fall off).
If the temperature in your kitchen is 70 degrees or more, you can shape your
loaf and proof it overnight and bake it the next morning: take your dough out
of the bowl and place on a floured
surface.
Place another piece
of parchment or wax paper onto
surface of dough; firmly tamp down with your hand, a second
loaf pan or a measuring cup.
I love a
loaf with cracked, crackled top and an earthy appearance; I've never appreciated the alien - smooth
surface of a white
loaf.