A fortnight ago, before the school terms started once more, me and my family spent a glorious week boating on the Norfolk Broads. Before I started packing for the trip, I idly checked the boat’s specifications and was happy to see that it had an oven. Right then. I’ll be baking bread: and so I took with me flour, yeast, salt, as well as a bowl, scraper and loaftin.
The oven was a gas oven, which I’d not used before for bread making, and the knob for controlling the temperature had its markings worn off.
The upshot was that I just baked my loaves and morning rolls on the highest heat and was truly delighted with the flavour I got on the crust.
You see, often, in the past when I’d visited artisan bakeries I would be put off the products because everything looks, well, burned. Now, having a slightly scorched crust on my bread as a result of the high oven on the boat, I am appreciating what this adds to the flavour.
It’s immense.
So I am starting to bake the bread in my own oven at top-whack and am happy to say I’m getting a similar flavour. Woohoo!