The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Electric v.s. gas oven

chuppy's picture
chuppy

Electric v.s. gas oven

Good morning!

I have been asking myself this question, "Why do the loaves I see pics of look more rustic than mine?". I'm still not sure, but I have a feeling that using an electric oven often creates a dry atmosphere? Soo thaen I began to use humidity to fix the bland looking loaf problem.

This brings me to my origanal thought about oven results when baking bread. Do gas ovens produce a better loking loaf of bread? By thee way, just so I am understood, I have been baking hearth breads from the BB by Rose Levy. If neither the oven or the bread recipe are the problem, what should I be doing to get better results?

Thanks-Chuppy

Dutchbaker's picture
Dutchbaker

Chuppy,

I have been happy with my electric oven, but I have never baked with a gas oven.  One thing I like about the electric, it has a vent hole in the back burner.  I use one of those plug in steam generators, that my wife bought for me at Kohls for $30.  I shoot the steam through this hole at the beginning of the bake.  I preheat the oven for an hour at 450 degrees with my baking stone in the oven.  I load the bread onto the stone, and shoot the steam in the vent hole every minute for the first 5 minutes.  Also after 5 minutes, I turn the temperature down to 425, and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes.   The steam seems to help with the oven spring.  I hope this helps.

Good Luck,

Dutchbaker

tattooedtonka's picture
tattooedtonka

I am sorry I cannot fully answer the question posted being that I have only ever had electric ovens.  That being said, I have made soft crusts, and crunchy, cracklin crusts, with only changin up temps. and adding steam vs. no steam.

Dutchbaker, I am very intrigued with your kohls item.  I too have a vent hole from my oven that comes out facing my cooktop.  I currently cover the hole with a wet towel, then open the door to mist in water via plant spray bottle.  I get o.k. steam, but lose quite abit do to the door being open during this process.  Could you please tell me a little bit more about what you have.  I have a Kohls near me and would like to check into it.  To be honest I never even thought of trying to get the mist into the oven through this hole.  Brilliant........

TT