The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

New WFO

Sjadad's picture
Sjadad

New WFO

I got a Forno Bravo Primavera 70 about a month ago. After curing (which felt like forever!) I started by trying my hand at wfo pizza. Although not yet proficient, the results are still way better than anything from my kitchen oven, even with a baking steel. I'm still amazed it takes less than two minutes to bake a pizza. 

Today I baked bread. Vermont sourdough to be be exact. After removing the hot embers and ashes, and going over the oven bed with a damp (not wet) cloth, I let the temperature drop to 600 F. Using a garden sprayer dedicated exclusively to water, I misted the interior for about 10 seconds and put the door in place. Next, I scored the 1 lb  loaves and loaded them in the oven, misted above them for another 10 seconds and closed the door.  I checked on them after about 15 minutes.  They had great color and the oven spring was amazing. I left the door off and baked another 3 minutes. The interior temperature of the loaves was 210 F. They were done.  I'll be baking a lot more bread in my wfo. 

 

WFO

WFO 1st Bread

WFO 1st Bread

WFO 1st Bread

Song Of The Baker's picture
Song Of The Baker

Wow, nice oven and very nice loaves.  Vermont SD is one of my faves and you just did it justice with this wfo bake.  Happy happy baking with that new toy!

John

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Looks great ... 

Nice colour on that crust. Hope we get to see more of your wood-fired bread :)

Cheers,
Phil

Sjadad's picture
Sjadad

Thanks John and Phil.  I see many more wfo bread bakes in my future and I'll report the results.  I wish I had started wfo baking many years ago.

annie the chef's picture
annie the chef

Wow! Your loaves looked great from very charming WFO.  I, like you, wish I had started baking bread in my WFO many years ago. We sold our old home with a WFO that my hubby built it for me.  I used it just for WFO pizzas ... I missed it so much when looking at yours.

Enjoy and happy baking!

Annie

polo's picture
polo

Fantastic looking breads, with great spring and color. Now the indoor oven will never seem the same :)

Sjadad's picture
Sjadad

You are so right!  I have visions of myself trudging through my snowy backyard in February to fire up the oven for bread baking. I'm really surprised at how different (better) the wfo bread tastes compared to the exact same formula baked in my kitchen oven. 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Any crumb shots?  Hand crafted bread made in a WFO sounds and looks very Artisan indeed.  Well done and good luck with your new oven.  I'm guessing so great stuff of all kinds will be baked in it. 

Happy baking 

Sjadad's picture
Sjadad

Thanks dabrownman. Here's a crumb shot

tWFO crumb

It has the creamiest crumb I've ever gotten on a Vermont SD loaf. My guess is it's because the loaves spend much less time in the wfo so even though they are baked thoroughly, less moisture is driven off in the process. Or it's only my imagination as I am completed seduced by cooking with a live wood fire!

Boboshempy's picture
Boboshempy

I have to say, those loaves came out fantastic!  I am thinking of pulling the trigger on one of these ovens this summer and was wondering why you picked the Primavera 70 over the 60 and if you played with one of these ovens before you took the plunge.

Nick

Sjadad's picture
Sjadad

I chose the 70 because it's bigger than the 60. I wanted as much cooking floor space as possible in a pre-assembled wfo. I never played with a forno bravo oven before mine, although a friend has a barrel vault wfo that I've used with him a coupl)e of times. I did quite a bit of research and determined that forno bravo was the best choice for me dollar-fo-dollar.  Learning how to get the best out of it is half the fun. In fact tonight I'll be making white clam pizza (along with a bunch of pizza Margherita).

Take the plunge. You won't regret it. Remember, every day you spend deliberating, you're not making pizza!

Sjadad's picture
Sjadad

The first is White clam, alla Pepe's in New Haven, and the second was supposed to be Margherita but I spaced and forgot the basil. 

 

 

White Clam Pizza

White Clam Pizza

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Very envious!  enjoy your new oven.  The bread and pizza looks great and I'm sure you will get years of wonderful baking out of it.

Ian