Crumb
English
The internal structure of the baked rim and base — the size, distribution and wall thickness of the gas cells. An 'open crumb' means large, irregular, thin-walled cells; a 'tight' or 'closed' crumb means small, even ones. Crumb is a result of hydration, fermentation and handling together, not of any single one of them.
Literal meaning
The soft interior of baked bread, as opposed to the crust
Region
English-language baking
Also known as
open crumb, crumb structure, alveolatura
Common misuse
Treating open crumb as a quality grade. It is a target for some styles and a fault in others — an open crumb in a Detroit or tavern-style base would be a defect, not an achievement.
Related
Evidence
Strongly supported- Modernist Pizza — The Cooking Lab