On Sat, 18 Oct 2003 16:12:00 GMT, "HeatherInSwampscott"
wrote:

Between them all I do check temperatures occasionally, but not religiously.
I am also having fun trying to figure out the "tap" at the bottom of the
loaf method to get the hollow sound (done) vs. the muffled thud (not done).
So far I am right 50% of the time with the tap : -)

I do not trust the tapping method because it does not assess the
doneness of the centermost part - the part that you are discussing
here. I only trust the internal temperature measurement with the
thermometer end placed in the center of the bread. I insert the
thermometer at as steep a slanting angle as I can to get as much of
the probe into the bread.

There is an old rule from experimental phyics that you insert ten
times the length of the active measurement part of the probe into the
sample. If the active measurement area of those minature thermometers
is approximately 1/4 inch, then you should insert 2.5 inches of the
probe into the bread. That's possible if you insert it at a steep
slanting angle.

I suppose I could just put it in 2.5 inches at the end of the bread,
but I want to measure the dough at its most vulnerable place - the
middle center of the loaf.

I had one loaf come up short - about 190F - but I took it out anyway.
The center was indeed a bit on the soggy side but I let the bread sit
for a while and it firmed up. Then I read that it is always best to
let the bread sit a long while before cutting into it.