"janie" > wrote in message
...
> I make good bread (tastes good anyway) BUT! I never get that pretty Brown
> outside skin that I always see in the store bought or bakery bread. I
asked
> the lady at the bakery (kroger) and she said that they always bake the
> bread at 400°... and that steam also did the trick. Said that is I got a
> spray bottle and sprayed the bread just before I put the bread in the oven
I
> would get the same effect.
> It doesn' seem to work!
> Anybody know a secret?

I agree with Eric. Try a wash. Also, increasing the sugar in the dough
will increase browning as will baking it longer. You can use an egg wash
(beat and egg with a little water or milk) to start with. The steam will
make the crust chewy but it will not give you a brown color like the wash.