The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Baking along the way

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Baking along the way

to Thanksgiving Day.  I baked several different kinds of bread in advance of Thanksgiving Day and these were just a few, I managed to get a couple of photos of along the way to the big day.  I baked challah, sourdough, cornbread, pugliese and tried the buttermilk rolls from  BH Bread Bible.  I tried a sourdough out in my new cast iron baker...It bakes up a wonderful loaf but the cast iron was a little heavy and hot to handle and limited to only one loaf at a time...all in all, I love cast iron dutch oven pan!  I especially like this one most of all for stove top cooking..just right size little fry pan and real nice pot for frying chicken or any deep frying, I'm very happy with this set, so much so I gave my extra large iron pan, I was using for lava rock. to my DIL with instructions how to get back the once lovely seasoned coating it had...I also have another extra large very well seasoned/aged one...but it will keep that lovely seasoning, that took so long to build.

 

            

 

                                       

                                                    I love my new Lodge Cast Iron multipurpose dutch oven set

                         

 

                                                    Steaming a couple of sourdough loaves

                                

                                                               Sylvia

                         

Comments

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

Wow the last pic of the loaves steaming looks perfect...you got a great rise going. and those dinner rolls , so light.

Gorgeous cast iron bake too. I have gotten used to my cast iron and it doesn't bother me that it is hot. I have soapstone countertops so it is easy to set them out and transfer the loaves and then set them back in the oven. Glad you like that new baker. c

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Thank you, Caroline!  The rolled towels when microwaved, become very hot in the 'center' only  microwave heating does this, to release out a burst of steam that keeps coming, I use my tongs to lift and unroll the towels for the final steaming...I leave them rolled for the pre-steam time.

If I had one piece of baking/cooking pot my choice would be cast iron!  I have plenty of counter space on the left and large island in front of the oven, but leave the pans in the oven and slide the loaf off a paddle into the pot.  I pre-heat it with the lid off. 

Sylvia

Mebake's picture
Mebake

Beautiful, Sylvia!

Happy Thanksgiving!

happylina's picture
happylina

Very nice dutch oven bread! So artist crack!

Thaichef's picture
Thaichef

Wow! Sylvia. I am speechless.

It is a "Masterpiece" !!!!!

mantana

GSnyde's picture
GSnyde

Happy Thanksgiving.

Glenn

Franko's picture
Franko

Hi Sylvia,

Great baking all round, nicely done!

I think that you'll get used to working with the hot DO in short order. Lifting a heavy roasting pan with a turkey and all it's hot fat sloshing around has far more potential for a nasty burn IMO. The DO does have it's limitations, but so far it's the best home method I've run across for baking lean, sourdough type breads. 

Regards,

Franko

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

I did lift a lot on my own.. 18+lb turkey + splash proof cover bluespeckled enameled favorite turky roaster and a 10 lb. ham...gave the old back a workout : ) 

Iron pan roasting gives a gorgeous crust..I have several dutch ovens and love them all!  Well, I'm supposed to do weight lifting for my bones...so I guess they are a good thing : )

Sylvia

Marni's picture
Marni

As always, your loaves are beautiful.  Lovely delicacy in the roll's crumb. And such nice oven spring in the towel too! I'll have to give that method a try soon.

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving,

Marni

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Happy Holidays to All!

Sylvia

wally's picture
wally

Those rolls are just mouth-watering Sylvia!  Were they retarded, by chance?  The sourdough has convinced me at last that I've got to break down and get a dutch oven.  Amazing oven spring you got with that beautiful boule.

Larry

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Thank you,  I was whipping out some test rolls about this time and I'm pretty sure without refering to the recipe..these are not overnight retarded..though I don't see why they couldn't be done like refrigerated rolls.  Great little iron dutch oven set..got mine on amazon..free shipping!

Sylvia

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

I really forgot.. my brain and body needs a rest today!  I just looked at the recipe..they were refrigerated overnight.  They are called 'My favorite buttermilk rolls' in Beth Hensperger's Bread Bible. 

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

I ordered two of the Lodge combo cookers. I can fit them both in my oven to bake two boules at once. I eager to give them a try.

David

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Thanks, David!  I can fit two in my oven and two more in the bottom oven...Oh, dear!  I just gave away kitchen stuff to make more space.  I'm sure this is some sort of mental disorder 'lol'!

Sylvia

msbreadbaker's picture
msbreadbaker

Very interesting reading regarding the Lodge Combo, a few questions please.

Does this combo come only in one size? I have a Lodge 5 qt dutch oven and use it as such, but feel it would be too large for the bread. I have several Lodge frying pans, 10" size. How can you be sure the top will fit the bottom. Do you have to buy it as a set?

Also, a size of 3 or 4 qt would be better, I'm guessing, but the ones on the internet (connection from the TFL site) did not list a size for the pan. I'm not too sure the local stores would have this as yet, but I'd like to be prepared as to what I need if I have to buy the parts separately.

Thanks so much for any help, Jean P. (VA)

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Hi, Jean!

I just measured the set and hope this answers any questions you have..it comes as a two piece set.  It measures top fry pan and bottom, across the top 10". The top fry pan holds one quart and is 1 1/2" tall and the bottom holds 3 quarts and is 3" tall, 4 QT size total Combo.  I wouldn't hesitate to use a five quart.  I have enameled iron dutch ovens and have used them successfully.   The advantage to the lodge combo cooker is the bottom is the frypan and you don't have to deal with trying to get the proofed loaf into a 'deep' hot pot...or you can try what one member did using his dutch oven.  He set the lid onto a round springform pan, to place the proofed loaf onto and then used the bottom of the DO for the top cover...works good if you have a DO with handles on the sides...I do but haven't had a need to try the method...I love this little Combo set, very handy for more than just bread baking.

Happy Baking, Sylvia in San Diego, CA 

msbreadbaker's picture
msbreadbaker

Hi Sylvia,

Thanks so much for the detailed information responding to my questions sbout the Lodge Combo dutch oven.

I got my DO out and it is really huge, it must be 7 qts. The 10" fry pan would not even begin to cover it, so I will try to find the set somewhere.

If you can use the frying pan for the loaf itself, what is the need of putting the bottom over it, is it for the steaming part? Then you'd have to lift it off at some point before the bread is done, right?

I've got the cookbook that advocates using it, but haven't paid much attention until all this talk has come up here. Now I want to try it. I think I will look for the smaller size in a set. I looked through my Chef's catalog and the one from Williams Sanoma, they both carry Lodge and Chef's has free delivery right now. But neither had the set. On line, I'm guessing the shipping would be high. If I might ask, does anyone have any suggetions as to a good source for buying.

Thanks again, yes to Happy Baking! Jean P. (VA)

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Amazon.com has the Lodge Combo Cooker with free shipping.  The dutch ovens or combo cooker creates a steamed enviroment for the bread.  The moisture being released from the bread creates it's own steam in the covered dutch oven.  After apx. 20 minutes the lid is removed to finish browning and baking...you will find detailed instructions and information in your cookbook.

Sylvia

msbreadbaker's picture
msbreadbaker

Thank you, thank you, Sylvia and paulm, I just ordered the combo cooker from Amazon.com, with free shipping to boot!

Jean P. (VA)

paulm's picture
paulm

Here is a link to an amazon.com dutch oven combo with free shipping.

dutch oven combo