Problems and Solutions
There are often problems to which bakers large and small and their suppliers need an answer.
From time to time we shall feature a frequently found problem and its solution. In most cases we shall give a scientific and practical explanation of the problem.
Further examples can be found in the book ‘Baking Problems Solved’ - ISBN 1 85573 564 4 Publisher: Woodhead Publishing Ltd.
Archived Solutions:
- Wrinkled or collapsed fruit buns
- Large indentation at base of loaf
- Fruit cake dry eating and crumbly after a few days storage
- Soggy pastry with apple pies
- Collapse of doughnuts and excess of fat absorption
- Sticky icing on éclairs
- Crust shelling on frozen products
- Black dots on the crusts of cakes
- Shrinkage with pastry and biscuit products
If you require a copy of any of our archived solutions, please contact us at info@baketran.com
Caving-in of the sides of pan breads
Description:
| We have been experiencing problems in keeping the sides of our sandwich loaves straight; the extent to which the sides pull-in varies, apparently without reason. Sometimes we notice that the crumb structure becomes more open. |
Explanation:
There is a natural tendency for loaves to shrink on cooling. As moisture begins to equilibrate throughout the loaf some of the crust areas become flexible. Often the side crusts of loaves are protected during cooling so that moisture losses through those areas are less than might be observed with top and bottom crusts. However, these changes alone are not responsible for caving in of the side crusts.
Common thoughts are that the caving-in is a sign of weakness in the dough or under-baking. In fact caving-in is more often a sign of too much strength in the dough rather than too little. In the early stages of baking the relatively slow transfer of heat to the centre of the dough means that considerable expansion can still occur. The expanding crumb squeezes the dough against the side crust as it forms and so reduces the centre crumb density; the ‘over-expanded’ centre crumb (open structure) shrinks on cooling and pulls the more flexible side crusts inwards.
One of the key reactions is that of the enzymes which are present in the flour and improver (if used). A particularly important reaction occurs between the naturally occurring cereal alpha-amylase and the damaged starch granules in the flour. One of the products of this reaction is the production of maltose which can delay the gelatinization of the starch and contribute to caving-in of side walls. Cereal amylase is a particular problem because it remains active when the starch is gelatinizing and is thus more vulnerable to breakdown.
Solution:
Look closely at the flour-improver combination that you are using and examine if there is an opportunity to use a slightly weaker flour or improver. Be careful if deciding to simply lower the existing improver level as you may lose other positive contributions to bread quality; for example, from oxidation.
Check the flour specification for amylase levels; this is usually given as the Hagberg Falling Number and for bread production a minimum of 180 units is commonly recommended.
Check your pan spacing in the oven. The variation in caving-in may be due to apparently small variations to heat input. This can be especially important with higher levels of amylase since lower heat input rates will allow more enzymic action to occur before inactivation temperatures are reached. You may find that loaves from the centre of the straps or oven show the problem to a greater degree.
Additional information:
For more information on Hagberg Falling Numbers see The ICC Handbook of Cereal, Flour, Dough and Product Testing: Methods and Applications.
If you have a problem that has puzzled you for a long time, then please email us details with a photograph to info@baketran.com
