Is it alright to cook a round bread loaf in conventional oven? Will layering it in flour help it brown better

Answer 1

You can bake bread in any shape that strikes your fancy. A nice attractive gold brown color is best achieved by brushing your loaf with a mix of egg yolk and water or milk prior to baking. Also, bake your loaf until the crust is nice and brown, and the loaf sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom. If you have an instant read thermometer, the center of your loaf should read near 190F. Let the loaf cool completely before cutting, as it needs to finish the baking and setting. Cut hot from the oven your loaf will be sticky and gummy. At least let it get to warm before you attack it with a knife. Coating it with flour will just leave you a floury loaf, although it will have a chewier crust. The flour will brown a bit, but still will taste dusty. The egg/liquid coat works best.