The Physics of Steam: Why Moisture Creates a Crispier Crust
It seems like a contradiction. If you want a dry, crispy crust, why would you flood your oven with water? Yet, every professional baker knows that steam is the secret ingredient. A loaf baked in a dry oven will be dull, dense, and grey. A loaf baked in steam will be glossy, voluminous, and shatteringly crisp.
pH Dynamics: Charting the Drop from 6.0 to 3.5
The true clock of sourdough is not measured in minutes, but in pH. The transformation of dough from a simple mixture of flour and water into a complex, digestible, and flavorful loaf is driven by acidification. Understanding the curve of this drop is the difference between a loaf that is bland and gummy, and one that sings.
Thermodynamics: Radiant vs. Conductive Heat (Dutch Oven Physics)
When you open your home oven door to load the bread, the air temperature drops by 50°C or more. A thin baking tray loses heat instantly. A preheated Dutch oven does not. It acts as a thermal battery, maintaining a stable 250°C environment even when the oven air cools down.