glasgowcyclist
Charming but somewhat feckless
or those with a high wholemeal proportion may need a little less water-to-flour ratio
I’ve always worked on the opposite principle; wholemeal flour needs a higher hydration ratio than simple white.
@stoatsngroats Everyone’s kitchen and oven are different, you’ll need to get used to what works best for you in *your* environment.
I generally bake my big sandwich loaf (550g flour) at 180C for 35 minutes and I know it’ll be spot on. I’ve never relied on the tapping-the-bottom method as it seems too vague to me. If I’m at all worried about a loaf, I’ll use a food thermometer to check the middle. So long as it is at 91C I know it’s properly baked inside, the only reason to bake any longer is to affect the crust/finish.
For the clearest, down to earth explanations of everything related to baking, I heartily recommend subscribing to Jack Sturgess’s YouTube channel. He knows his stuff, doesn’t try to make it sound like a black art and gives you all his knowledge, no holding stuff back like some do.
Here’s his simple yeasted loaf from start to finish. Well worth doing, even if you have made lots of bread before:
View: https://youtu.be/UlaXqK7C67g
. I often go back to it.