become fully set. The second condition can be
verified indirectly by tapping on the bottom of
the loaf. If the interior still contains a
continuous gluten mass with embedded
bubbles, it will sound and feel heavy and
dense. If it has cooked through and become an
open sponge, the loaf will sound hollow.
Cooling
Immediately after being removed from the
oven, the loaf’s outer layer is very dry, around
15% water, and close to 400ºF/200ºC, while
the interior is as moist as the original dough,
around 40% water, and around 200ºF/93ºC.
During cooling, these differences partly even
themselves out. Moisture diffuses outward,
and much of the loaf’s moisture loss occurs
now. It ranges from 10% to 20% of the dough
weight, depending on surface area, with small
rolls losing the most and large loaves the
least.