Phyllis, black cast iron pans do tend to create a darker crust on your loaves so you may want to turn the temperature down by 25 degrees F if that's not the look you're going for. Also, if you're not already doing so, try keeping the lid on your Dutch oven on for longer next time. This should help protect the crust from browning too quickly. Also, use an instant read thermometer to check for doneness. Depending on the kind of bread you're making, it should read anywhere from 190-205 degrees F (call the Hotline for more details). As soon as you get into that zone, you can remove the bread from the oven even if the baking time hasn't completed. Hope that helps! Kye@KAF

• Reply