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  4. Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
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Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?

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paul.fr

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Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
« on: 03/11/2007 21:13:30 »
Brown bread appears to get nice and toasted about twice as fast as white bread, why?
« Last Edit: 27/07/2017 09:38:58 by chris »
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Marked as best answer by on 04/02/2021 16:32:24

Offline Alandriel

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  • Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #1 on: 03/11/2007 21:25:48 »

    LOL I think you've got a very strange toaster Paul  [:)]
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    lyner

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #2 on: 04/11/2007 00:06:14 »
    Brown bread is not so disgustingly damp and 'pappy' as white bread so the lower water content means it  takes less time to heat up to a temperature at which it can start to burn a bit. Being brown, it may even absorb a bit more infra red than (disgustingly pappy )  white bread - and heat up a bit quicker.
    Brown bread rules!!
    What is the point of white bread, anyway?
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    Offline JimBob

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #3 on: 04/11/2007 02:51:46 »
    To make people fat. That is All it is good for - except for a fresh out of the oven French baguette.
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    Offline kdlynn

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #4 on: 04/11/2007 07:11:04 »
    and garlic bread
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    Offline techmind

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #5 on: 04/11/2007 09:56:02 »
    Quote from: paul.fr on 03/11/2007 21:13:30
    brown bread gets nice and toasted about twice as fast as white, why?
    I'm sure it mostly depends on the water content. I'm sure you can get examples of soggy brown as well as dry white, so the colour of bread -in general- is not necessarily the primary reason.

    Now, if only they made a toaster with a built-in smoke-detector that automatically switched off when it had gone too far...
    « Last Edit: 04/11/2007 10:20:39 by techmind »
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    Offline Karen W.

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #6 on: 04/11/2007 10:08:32 »
    whole wheat is dryer and takes more water as it breaks up the gluten in the other flour more. I believe the same holds true for oat flour.

    Whole wheat when mixed into other flour mixture, weakens the glucose structure of the dough, and in so doing makes the mix less tolerant to mixing and fermentation time. The wheat is rougher and works like a cutting blade in the gluten structure, so when you mix it into the flour mix, it weakens it and the bread ends up being much denser unless you make adjustments for the wheat. By adding extra water and a touch of sugar to make it less dense and bitter.

    Whole wheat has a slower hydration rate and when you add a whole wheat to a recipe you should always increase those things a tad, to balance out the taste so it is not to dry and bitter! It also needs to be baked longer at a lower temperature.

    So when you toast it it takes less to dry it out and therefore it toasts quicker!  White bread has much more moisture and a gluten structure that has not been broken down so it remains better in holding in moisture.
    Where as the whole wheat has broken down and cut up the glucose making it unable to hold  the moisture as well as before.
    « Last Edit: 04/11/2007 10:11:23 by Karen W. »
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    lyner

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #7 on: 04/11/2007 11:03:57 »
    Quote
    a built-in smoke-detector
    or a built in light meter -get it just the brownness you like.
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    Online Bored chemist

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #8 on: 04/11/2007 12:08:51 »
    I don't know how significant the effect is but dark coloured stuff will absorb more light than white stuff. It's possible the same is true for absorbing IR and so the brown bread heats quicker.
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    paul.fr

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #9 on: 04/11/2007 14:06:46 »
    Quote from: techmind on 04/11/2007 09:56:02

    Now, if only they made a toaster with a built-in smoke-detector that automatically switched off when it had gone too far...

    Does that mean I'm not the only one that regularly burns toast?
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    Offline Alandriel

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #10 on: 04/11/2007 20:24:12 »
    Most definitley paul - you're *never* the only one  [;D]

    LOVE your ideas people: built in smoke detector, light-meter detecor. [;D] [;D]
    You should get some ideas on paper and approach the many toaster manufacturers. Toasters have still massive room for improvement!


    Quote from: JimBob
    ...except for a fresh out of the oven French baguette

    Mais oui! Mes sentiments précicement

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    Offline JimBob

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #11 on: 04/11/2007 22:56:05 »
    un grand merci de la part de Alandriel - mon cher

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    Offline Andrew K Fletcher

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #12 on: 04/11/2007 23:27:16 »
    I have to go along with this one as it makes a lot more sense.
    Quote from: Bored chemist on 04/11/2007 12:08:51
    I don't know how significant the effect is but dark coloured stuff will absorb more light than white stuff. It's possible the same is true for absorbing IR and so the brown bread heats quicker.
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    Offline Karen W.

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #13 on: 05/11/2007 00:31:39 »
    Anytime you have something with less moisture ie wheat bread verses white it is going to burn quicker because it doesn't require as much time to burn it as it has less moisture in it to evaporate before it toasts!
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    Offline kdlynn

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #14 on: 05/11/2007 03:38:51 »
    yes why is it that everything else on the planet is constantly upgrading but basic toaster technology is not updated?
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    Offline Karen W.

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #15 on: 07/11/2007 19:07:17 »
    Who knows perhaps it is  good to go..LOL
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    Offline SquarishTriangle

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #16 on: 11/11/2007 02:23:34 »
    Quote
    Now, if only they made a toaster with a built-in smoke-detector that automatically switched off when it had gone too far...

    Doesn't your toaster have some sort of knob to let you set the darkness of your toast?
    My toaster has 5 settings: 1 (Light), 2, 3, 4 (Dad Setting 1) and 5 (Dad Setting 2). I'm adamant 4 and 5 are only there to make dads happy...noone else in their right mind would POSSIBLY want toast that dark!!! :P
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    paul.fr

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #17 on: 11/11/2007 02:26:48 »
    Quote from: SquarishTriangle on 11/11/2007 02:23:34


    Doesn't your toaster have some sort of knob to let you set the darkness of your toast?

    i put mine under the grill, no knob just constant looking, ofcourse when you forget to look the damn smoke alarm soon reminds you!
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    Offline Karen W.

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #18 on: 12/11/2007 01:01:32 »
    Mine has setting and ones that allow you to put frozen bread in also and it defrosts it before it toasts it! Making sure its just so. I have a funny little one that can set over your gas burner and it has a rack that holds it up like a camping toaster for open fire. Haven't used it in a long time! They have come a long long ways really!

    I have never used my rack! Have toasted in oven on cookie sheet but this requires looking and turning also!
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    Offline techmind

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    Re: Why does brown bread toast quicker than white bread?
    « Reply #19 on: 22/11/2007 17:37:56 »
    Quote from: sophiecentaur on 04/11/2007 11:03:57
    or a built in light meter -get it just the brownness you like.

    My colleague has just pointed out that Philips' HD2580 toaster has just this function.

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-HD2580-Essence-Toaster/dp/B00008BFTN

    *Declaration of interest: I do work for Philips
    *Disclaimer: I have no personal experience of this product. I've no idea how well (or whether) it works in practice. Other toasters with brownness monitors may be available.

    Also (via the magic of Search) I've just found this:
    http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/news/news/372/
    which relates to a toaster using an ionisation smoke-detector.
    « Last Edit: 22/11/2007 22:31:55 by techmind »
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