I notice that my bread loaves are softer in the center than around the edge. Not raw but definitely not as much ‘done’. This is less of a problem in 8x4 pans than 9x5. I’m baking 35 min at 375 degrees.
Would a longer time at lower temp result in more even cooking?
The first think everyone is going to ask is likely if you have checked the actual temps your oven is generating. My newer oven is far less likely to lie than my old one, but I still let it sit at preheated temps for at least 10 minutes past the ping. I also use a food safe ceramic brick to mitigate heating issues.
Second, and this is my own fault, but don’t know if it applies to you. I’ve repurposed some baked good recipes to different sized pans in the past and they just didn’t do as well. I bring this up in that you mention this issue applies in different sized pans as well.
Back to your specific point, part of it is going to depend on the nature of the baked good. Chemical leaveners can be sensitive to lower temps, and a lot of breads take a good high initial heat at least to get the rising to full blast or to set the texture. My favorite bread is baked in the oven inside a closed cast iron dutch oven, with the top off at the end for browning.
So, let us know more about the bread you’re baking and what the original recipe if anything says, and we can tell you more.
Gitchyseff two thermometers: one that sits in the oven (don’t ever trust the number on the knob/dial), and an instant-read to check the temperature of the bread to see if it’s done.
The article on the King Arthur website is interesting. Thanks for sharing. Here’s a thread on The Fresh Loaf website (Using thermometers to test for bread doneness (Using thermometers to test for bread doneness | The Fresh Loaf) that discusses the thermometer vs. thump methods. The original poster, Jeffrey Hamelman, is King Arthur’s lead baker and the author of a well-received book on Breads (Bread, A Baker’s Book of Techniques and Recipes).
New oven with electronic thermometer
Bread is my home brew:
2 cups milk
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup honey
1 Tbsp salt
2 cups bread flour (white)
6 cups whole wheat
scant Tbsp instant yeast (get it in bulk from King Arthur)
Similar recipes recommend 35 min at 375F
Internal temp when baked is 205F
Makes 2 loaves 2+ pounds each
Are you letting the bread cool completely before cutting it? Cutting hot bread changes the texture, collapsing some of the interior bubbles. If you insist on hot bread it is better to tear it with your hands instead of slicing it with a knife.
The 4” pans probably cool faster then the 5” inch pans.
Yes, I cool it on a rack