D.Currie wrote:
> "Bob (this one)" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>suzette wrote:
>>
>>>I was wondering if one should strive for a specific internal temperature
>>>when baking breads, (rye, french, sourdough). I ahve looked over quite a
>>>few
>>>posts and have not seen any relating to this quiry.
>>>I like to make bread every other week or so for my presonal pleasure and
>>>am
>>>new to this group. Thannk you for any help..........Suz
>>
>>For home baking, an internal temperature in the center of the loaf of
>>200°F says it's done. In my classes, I teach people to poke the
>>thermometer into one of the slashes on top of a crusty loaf or into the
>>end if baked in a loaf pan. Quick-read thermometers need to be poked in
>>almost all the way to get an accurate reading. They're designed to give an
>>average reading over about 3 inches of the probe.
>>
>>Professional baking has different criteria for determining doneness.
>>
>>Pastorio
>
>
> Would that temp change at high altitude? Where I'm at, the boiling point of
> water is about 203 degrees, which is (obviously) 9 degrees less than sea
> level. So if I measured the bread temp, would I want it 9 degrees less (193
> degrees) or would I want it to get all the way to 200, which is just 3
> degrees shy of the boiling point?

It shouldn't be altered if at all possible. That 200°F represents the
temperature by which the important chemical and physical changes have
happened. Gelatinization, protein denaturing and the other events that
combine to make bread happen at certain absolute temperatures and
pressures. Significantly lower, and they don't proceed to fullness.

For me the boiling point is usually 209°F. Changes in atmospheric
pressure will cause it to fluctuate a bit

Pastorio