"Roy" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> >I don't see this bubble problem in any of the posts, anybody have a
> clue?
>
> People here usually slash their dough before baking.....therefore you
> need to do the same.
> You need to slash ( specially lean doughs) whether they are baked in
> bread pans or in free form in order to minimize the formation of such
> large bubbles. This due to uneven expansion and accumulation of stress
> in the various points of the dough that leads to that fault. Consider
> the fact that most artisanal type of bread had lean recipes and there
> is not enough lipid or fat to allow the flexibility of the semi rigid
> foam ( proofed dough) to expand evenly in all directions
> Just remember if your dough has uneven pore size distribution ,the gas
> pressure inside the small bubbles is much higher if compared to a
> larger bubbles. These forces the smaller bubbles to merge with the
> larger bubble forming a much bigger size one..
> This is a variation of the phenomenon known in physical chemistry as
> Ostwald ripening.It can also be described as bubble coalescence. or
> bubble diffusion
> The rate at which diffusion proceeds is clearly proportional to the
> pressure difference and the permeability of the surrounding barrier(
> the gluten starch membrane between the two bubble of differing
> diameters.
> Hence there is the likelihood that the accumulated internal pressure
> due to rapid expansion in the dough during baking will promote the
> formation of such unsightly huge gas cells
> Now if you slash the loaves this pent up pressure is released making
> the bread expand evenly and minimize the merging of disparately sized
> bubbles.
>
> Roy
>

Well, I do always slash my freeform breads. I figured as the loafpan breads
were pretty much risen as much as they were going to, (and they really did
not rise anymore in the oven) slashing was unneeded. The finished bread had
pretty uniform holes throughout, the large bubbles were directly under the
outer crust only, if I were so inclined to peel away the crust bubbles, the
underlying bread retains a smooth surface curve. So the problem was only on
the outer skin of the risen dough. Any more thoughts?

hutchndi