Quizno's

[Les]

A quick qustion for the bread makers here. How does Quizno's get that "crackly texture" on their bread. And is there a name for this type of bread.

TIA,

Les...

[CanuckJim]

Les,

My suspicion is that it has less to do with the dough formula or the baking method than some sort of spray on the surface of the loaf before it's baked. There are many commercial products out there that are used for "shine," "stick" (as in seeds), and so on. It would be no surprise if there was one for "crackly" as well, probably sugar based. To shine up a crust though, all you need is egg wash (water & egg) or a simple spray with water prior to baking.

Jim

[Les]

Thanks Jim! I'm still a rookie at this baking thing so your input is a huge help. I'll check into it a little further. The texture is cool to look at but it does tend to trash the roof of your mouth when you bite into one of their large sandwiches.

Les...

[CanuckJim]

Dlachez,

Please stay snooty. It's the only way to go. Sometimes, in winter, my hearth breads develop cracks in the crust just after they come out of the oven, but this has to do with the extreme differential between the temp of the crust (212 F) and the temp of the outside air (-20). That's just part of the game. Commercial breads are made with all sorts of shortcuts and additives and specifically formulated flours, spiked up with lots of yeast, and, and, and.... Nothing to do with what we're up to.

There's a company here called Dempster's. They've come up with an "award winning" multigrain bread that I wouldn't give to free range chickens, but there you are. Spike it, extrude it, steam it, bag it. Makes me gag.

Jim

[CanuckJim]

Guys,

This is a little different, but fun nonetheless. Check out this NYT link on quick breads: Bread, Quick and Savory - New York Times. If there's any interest in this, I'd be pleased to add a recipe to the bread cookbook. Really, quick breads are fast, tasty and good. They don't have the complexity of hearth breads, but sometimes they can work just fine. For those Irish lads out there, traditional St. Paddy's day soda bread is a fine example.

Jim

[Les]

Hey Jim,

I think it would be a great addition; looks fast and easy. Also, the video turned me onto a quick and dirty way to make post it's

Les...

[CanuckJim]

Les,

Okay, let's see what James thinks about that. I could always post a St. Paddy's day soda bread recipe separately on a forum thread. This type of bread is best baked at lower temps (350) anyway.

Jim