The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Newbie needs help with pans

gladys kravits's picture
gladys kravits

Newbie needs help with pans

Thank you to anyone who might be able to help me. I am new to bread baking. I have cast iron loaf pans that I want to use to bake white bread. Do I have to pre-heat these pans as I do with the cast dutch oven for no knead bread? Can/should I use parchment paper in them? Do I adjust the bake time or temp at all with these pans? Any information would be so appreciated.

Ford's picture
Ford

The only bread I have baked in cast iron is corn bread.  Whether they be corn pones or other corn bread.  I preheat the skillet or corn pone pans, add grease, then the batter and bake.  For loaf bread it would be a guess on my part.  I am sure there are others who can answer your question.

Ford

mrfrost's picture
mrfrost

Preheating the pans is not necessary, for yeast breads.

Like any cast iron cookware, the pans should be seasoned. They will either be preseasoned at the factory, or you will need to season the pans your self. In seasoning, a layer of oil is bonded(baked) onto the suface of the cast iron. After the initial seasoning(or preseasoning), you will still need to oil the pan before each use. After washing the pans, you want to wipe a light layer of oil on the pan, before putting away.

If you take care of your seasoning, you will not need to use parchment, but of course you can, if you want to. Even if you use parchment, you still must maintain your seasoning, or the pans will rust.

You do not need to adjust the temperature, as far as I know.

gladys kravits's picture
gladys kravits

Thank you so much. I'll give this a try tomorrow.