How To Tell Your Homemade Bread Is Fully Baked

Making homemade bread that's comparable or better than what's for sale at your go-to local bakery loaf takes a bit of practice. But once you get those breadmaking chops, there's no going back. There are several details to consider, from how to measure ingredients to getting the perfect ambient temperature for the dough to rise. Then come little tricks like adding oil to elevate your homemade loaf's texture. Finally, there's the bake. While this may seem like the easiest part, there are still several nuances to get perfect here. Bake it too long and the bread will dry out; take it out of the oven too soon and the doughy loaf could be inedible. Fortunately, there are several signs that will tell you when your homemade bread is fully baked and ready to be enjoyed. Even if you've got a bread making machine, it is useful to know what to look for in a perfectly baked loaf because a bread machine isn't always foolproof.

We got some exclusive tips on making homemade bread from someone who's done it for years. Nicole Bean, a pizza and bread making expert, owns and operates two pizzeria locations with her family in Houston called Pizaro's Pizza Napoletana. Her restaurant serves up everything from traditional Naples-style pizza to deep dish Detroit pan-style pies, meaning Bean really knows her way around different styles of dough and understand what to look for when you're making bread at home. Her key detail: take a look at the crust. If it's golden brown, gives slightly, and has a bit of a crackle to it, then you're probably good to go.

Unlike baked dishes like cakes that require a toothpick test or measuring internal temperature to check for doneness, bread will tell you all you need to know from its crust alone. The way the loaf's exterior looks, feels, and even sounds indicates whether it is ready to eat or requires some more time in the oven. Nicole Bean tells us what exactly to look for — "Color is usually a good indicator that the bread is cooked fully but also feeling the dough by giving it a little squeeze. Bread should be a beautiful golden color and sometimes with darker spots. As well, the bread should be firm to the touch of the exterior. When squeezing you should hear a snap and crunch as if breaking a shell."

If you're unsure about whether your loaf is fully baked or not, it's best to give it a few more minutes in the oven since undercooked bread is a far worse alternative. If the loaf comes out too dry, you can always use it for croutons, or better yet, in a hearty Italian Ribollita soup that traditionally uses stale bread.

Bean also notes that the signs differ somewhat depending on the type of bread you're baking. For artisanal breads and baguettes, the crust should be somewhat dry and relatively hard, while a sandwich bread loaf should have a softer, more pliable crust.