Hi there, Swan! We'd recommend removing the loaves from the Dutch oven sooner, it's likely that steam is getting trapped around the sides, and this is causing the loaves to shrink a bit. Using a parchment sling under your dough will make removing the hot loaves from the Dutch oven much easier. Also, you can also try removing the loaves from the vessel right after they come out of the oven and then placing them directly on the oven rack for about 5 minutes to continue drying out any excess moisture. We might also suggest removing the lid sooner in the baking process, steam is great for creating a nice crust but too much can be bad and make for an overly thick crust and a sucer-like shaped loaf. We hope this can help and happy baking!
March 20, 2021 at 4:56pm
In reply to I have been baking breads in… by Swan (not verified)
Hi there, Swan! We'd recommend removing the loaves from the Dutch oven sooner, it's likely that steam is getting trapped around the sides, and this is causing the loaves to shrink a bit. Using a parchment sling under your dough will make removing the hot loaves from the Dutch oven much easier. Also, you can also try removing the loaves from the vessel right after they come out of the oven and then placing them directly on the oven rack for about 5 minutes to continue drying out any excess moisture. We might also suggest removing the lid sooner in the baking process, steam is great for creating a nice crust but too much can be bad and make for an overly thick crust and a sucer-like shaped loaf. We hope this can help and happy baking!