When we bake bread at home, we usually can’t wait for it to get out of the oven. The seducing smell makes us want to slice it as soon as possible and sink our teeth in it. But this impatience usually has dire consequences.
If you slice up bread as soon as it leaves the oven without letting it cool down first, you are bound to ruin it. It will be all gummy-like, without that airy texture we love so much. This is because cooling is essential for a great loaf of homemade bread.
When you take the bread out of the oven, it still isn’t finished with baking. It retains warm air inside, which continues to cook the bread from the inside when you place it on the kitchen counter.
This prolonged cooking causes starches, which take on a gooey consistency at high temperatures, to stiffen up and become solid while the temperature lowers. It also allows excess moisture to evaporate.
Tips for Proper Bread Cooling
If you want to get the best loaf of homemade bread, then don’t touch it when it comes out of the oven. Instead, let it cool down to at least room temperature. The better method is to wait between one and two hours, depending on the size of the loaf.
