Adding a glaze or topping to the top of your loaf can turn a delicious loaf into bread almost too beautiful to eat! Glazes improve not only the appearance but also the texture of the crust. Here is a few options to consider.
1. If I do nothing else, I usually brush some butter on the top of the loaves as soon as they are pulled from the oven. This softens the crust and gives it a glossy appearance. (Don't do this if you are making an artisan bread that you want to have a hard crispy crust.)
2. Before baking in the oven, I sometimes brush the loaves with milk to give a nice golden brown crust.
3. Beating an egg, egg white, or egg yolk with a tablespoon of water and brushing on the crust before baking will give a shiny crust. For lighter crust, use the egg white and for a darker crust, use the yolk.
4. Glazing with a cooked mixture of cornstarch and water toward the end of the baking time (as described in the Russian Black Bread recipe) gives a glossy chewy crust.
5. Milk or egg glazes will help to hold on toppings such as sesame seeds, poppy seeds, herbs, or oatmeal. I like to add toppings to accent the type of bread, such as rolled oats on oatmeal bread, cinnamon sugar sprinkled on cinnamon raisin bread. I find that egg glazes hold toppings on slightly better, though I usually use milk just because it is simpler! And I'm lazy!
6. Slashing a loaf, especially a round or french style loaf, can also add to it's appearance. Use a sharp serrated knife or razor blade. Quickly slit the dough, making an X or other marking. Aim for a ½ inch indention. Loaves may be slit before rising or immediately before placing in the oven, depending on the desired effect. Usually soft light breads are slashed before raising and denser artisan breads are slashed right before baking.
Glazing and adding toppings, while taking little time, can add creative touch to your bread baking. Give it a try!
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