Cheap oven thermometer fixed my sourdough crust problem

My oven said 375 but the bread kept coming out pale and gummy after 4 tries. Picked up a $6 analog thermometer at the grocery store and found the real temp was sitting at 340. Calibrated my dial to match and now the crust actually blisters like the bakeries. Anyone else find their oven runs cold or is mine just extra special?

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williamt4426d ago

The real culprit might be the oven cycling, not just running cold. Most ovens swing up and down by 25 to 30 degrees around the set temp, so even if yours reads 375, it could drop way low right when the bread needs the heat. That gummy center happens when the crust sets too slowly and moisture gets trapped. A cheap thermometer with a probe left inside tells you the actual swings, not just the average. Might be worth watching it for a full 30 minutes to see the pattern before you trust the dial again.