Freshly homemade bread is delicious, healthy, and satisfying. Taste and texture of bread varies based on ingredients and methods, and deciding between top or bottom heat to use to bake bread will produce different results.
Do you cook bread at top or bottom of oven? The bottom of the oven is the best place to bake bread because the heating element on the bottom produces the most heat.
Sourdough bread, pizza, crusty artisanal bread, and tarts, any bread that requires a crispy bottom works well on the lowest rack in the oven.
Selecting top or bottom heat is also determined by the type of bread. Some recipes may stay with bottom rack, while others want to use both top and bottom to achieve optimal results.
Answered below are frequently asked questions discussing the difference of top and bottom rack position for baking bread in the oven.
Which oven setting is best for baking bread?
Baking bread requires lots of steps from kneading to proofing and oven setting. After the dough has been make and risen to perfection, proper oven technique is the remaining key to success.
Here are oven settings to follow for baking bread:
- Temperature: Between 350 and 475°F or 180 and 246°C
- Position: Bottom rack
- Mode: Fan mode is better for baking bread, especially baking multiple loaves at once.
- Baking Time: Ranges between 35 to 50 minutes for artisanal breads or loaves baked in loaf pans.
- Doneness: The internal temperature of the bread needs to reach 190°F or 88°C to be fully baked.
Tips to bake bread in the oven
Simply following a recipe does not solve every issue. Understanding baking tips specifically pertaining to bread in the oven will eliminate mistakes that result in inedible bread.
- Turn off the fan setting for the first 12-14 minutes to allow the crust to rise and solidified.
- Adding a tray of water while baking bread helps to steam the surface of the loaf to maintain moisture and fully expand.
- For sourdough in a Dutch Oven, adding ice cubes forms steam inside the vessel.
- Check the internal temperature of the bread using a thermometer probe to ensure the center reaches 190 degrees Fahrenheit or 88 degrees Celsius so that the dough is fully baked.
- Arrange the rack on the bottom of the oven to bake bread, especially sourdough, pizza, crusty bread, and tarts.
Baking Bread on Top or Bottom in Oven: Conclusion
When it comes to baking bread, it is important to follow the recipe guideline for ingredients, technique, and oven setting.
For crusty bread such as sourdough, pizza, tarts, or artisanal bread, the bottom of the oven is highly recommended. The heating elements are located at the bottom of the oven and heat rises upwards, therefore the hottest part is the bottom level where you want the bottom of the bread to become crusty.
When baking a single loaf of bread, start without the fan mode until close to the end. But when baking multiple at once, consider turning on the convection fan so the hot air circulates throughout the oven.
Depend on the type of bread and dough condition, adding ice cube or water tray can help to moisten, steam and properly expand the bread before forming the crust.
Always check the doneness by smell, color, and internal temperature reaching at least 190 degrees Fahrenheit or 88 degrees Celsius before serving.
The flavor and texture of bread may slightly vary depending on the oven techniques. Therefore, having basic knowledge and understanding of these bread baking tips is helpful to bake your favorite kinds of bread at home.