The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Thrift Store find - how to use?

AndyPanda's picture
AndyPanda

Thrift Store find - how to use?

I've never used one of these bread pans before.  It looks nearly new condition but I don't understand the purpose of the ridges and the horizontal ones on the sides seem like they'd just cause the bread to stick in the grooves.  Hoping some of you can tell me if there is a preferred way of greasing or not greasing these pans (or using parchment or flour duster or?) and why the ridges?   And if I did good paying $4 for it?   It's much more robust looking than the cheap, stamped pans I usually use.

 

 

OldLoaf's picture
OldLoaf

I have several.  Very well made.  The ridges are supposed to be to let the air circulate around the loaf while it bakes.  Not sure if there is any evidence to support that, but I'm happy with them.  Brand new they are supposed to have a non-stick coating.  I still grease them though, a little oil on a paper napkin and lightly coat the inside.  Loaves always slip right out.

Be aware that they recommend hand washing only, and dry immediately.  They claim the chemicals in those dishwasher tablets can ruin the finish, but regular dish soap (Dawn, Ivory, etc.) and a sponge is fine.

$4 (U.S.) is a good price!  Depending on what size, they range in price from about $15 to $35.  Nice find...

Jeff

AndyPanda's picture
AndyPanda

Thanks Jeff.  That is exactly the info I was looking for.    This pan is about 5.25"x10" and the non-stick coating seems to be all there.  It doesn't really look like it's ever been used at all.  I'm going to adjust my amounts and make a larger loaf and see how it works out.  

adelie's picture
adelie

Wow, $4?! Awesome find(I got the same one but for $30)!

Did it come with a lid? If so, you can make pan de mie with a square shape and straight sides. If not, maybe a baking sheet with some weights on top would do. Since the pan is light colored, it can produce light-colored, soft crusted breads like Hokkaido milk bread.

AndyPanda's picture
AndyPanda

No lid came with it.  I'm going to have to google pan de mie and Hokkaido milk bread.  I'm not familiar with either of those.  I generally make either whole wheat (fresh ground) with seeds (pumpkin, sunflower and flax) ... Or plain old sourdough.  I do my sourdough in a loaf pan so I can cut sandwich slices that will fit in a toaster. 

OldLoaf's picture
OldLoaf

The 5.25x10 sounds like the large standard loaf pan (1.5 lbs I think).  My pullman measures 4x4x13, and they make a shorter one 4x4x9.

AndyPanda's picture
AndyPanda

Yes.  I searched the various pans and the only one that looks just like mine is the Large Standard one just like you thought.

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

makes pretty loaves

wonder how it compares to the tin used by txfarmer in this blog post.  Might also give some shaping ideas to help with the large pan.

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/21575/sourdough-100-whole-wheat-oatmeal-sandwich-bread-whole-grain-breads-can-be-soft-too

scroll down to Akiko's post to see the perhaps smaller version of your pan

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/21575/sourdough-100-whole-wheat-oatmeal-sandwich-bread-whole-grain-breads-can-be-soft-too#comment-152240

AndyPanda's picture
AndyPanda

That's an interesting blog post you linked.  I've been reading thru and I had never thought of doing multiple sideways loaves in one pan - that's something I'll have to try.

I took my normal recipe for 4"x8" pans and increased the amounts and I'm going to see how it turns out in the new pan. It's about ready to go into the fridge overnight and bake it tomorrow morning - hope it works. 

Justanoldguy's picture
Justanoldguy

You might be indicted on theft charges 'cause $4 for that pan was a 'steal'. I just used my USA small Pullman pan (4x4x9) today to bake a nice, wholly whole wheat loaf. Being the sort of fellow that occasionally wears a belt and suspenders I do try to lubricate it lightly. Being the sort of fellow who occasionally gets in a rush ('a rush' being polite for rapid onset dumbassedness) I also sometimes bake a loaf without any lubrication for the pan. No problems  either way. Neither the light groves or the embossed logo will show up on the finished loaf. I just love my USA pan.  

AndyPanda's picture
AndyPanda

The Cops are at the door - hope they don't lock me away for too long! :) 

sasha.river's picture
sasha.river

Grease or parchment paper would be okay.

AndyPanda's picture
AndyPanda

I increased my sourdough recipe - the dough weighs 800 grams which is a bit more than the 1.5 pounds this pan is for. But the pan is so big - I don't want the loaf to be short.   I'm inclined to let it rise another hour or maybe I'll get a big bubble if I don't bake it now.   Opinions?    I think I'm going to pop it in the oven and see what happens.

pmccool's picture
pmccool

A short loaf may not be as pretty but an overproofed loaf is no fun, either.  

For that size pan, you could easily put 900-1000g of dough in it with out over-filling it.  Remember, too, that the loaf will lose approximately 15% of its weight while baking, 

Paul

AndyPanda's picture
AndyPanda

Thanks Paul,

I'll learn a bit about this as I bake a few loaves and experiment.  I think I'll use more dough next time - the dough looked pretty small in that big pan when I first shaped the loaf and popped it in the pan to rise last night.

bchan's picture
bchan

Sorry, meant to reply/ask question to previous post... don't know how to delete comment...

bchan's picture
bchan

Sorry for double (Wrong post) - don't know how to delete comment...

bchan's picture
bchan

Thanks for the info re: 900-1000g dough in this 1.5lb/9x5 pan.  Is there a general way of figuring this info out for various pan sizes?  I've tried to bake in various pans sizes (of other recipes), and have either short loaves, or over flow.  And, is the math different for pullman pans?

OldLoaf's picture
OldLoaf

The pan mentioned above was 10x5 so it requires more dough than a 9x5. 

Other forum members have come up with the easy way of checking the volume of your respective pan.  NOTE: Test your pan first to make sure it doesn't leak!  Place your empty pan on your scale and press zero/tare, then carefully fill the pan with water as close to the top edge as you can.  The weight of the water is the cubic volume.  Let's say 2100grams.  As a starting point take half of that, 1050g, and make your Total Dough Weight (TDW) that weight.  Figuring the dough will double in bulk during proof and the oven spring, should bring you close to the desired loaf size.

Another way is to measure it with a ruler to figure the volume, LxWxD. I prefer using centimeters.  This method is not as accurate as the water method because most pans are sloped on the sides, but it will give you somewhere to start.

 

bchan's picture
bchan

thx for the info!  Just what I needed, a starting point.

AndyPanda's picture
AndyPanda

Not as tall as I'd hoped but looks promising.   I'll post a crumb picture once it cools.  I think I could have waited an hour to bake but I hate when I over-proof and have a bubble dome.   This is 50% fresh ground Montana Wheat Prairie Gold with the bran sifted off and 50% Central Milling AP flour (don't have any bread flour at the moment)

AndyPanda's picture
AndyPanda

It certainly tastes delicious!

I previously said the whole wheat had the bran sifted off .. but I forgot to mention that most of that bran was used to feed the starter so it got added back in after the little sourdough yeasties had their way with it.

OldLoaf's picture
OldLoaf

Very nice loaf!!!  Please pass the Jam...?

I did a quick volume check on my large loaf pan (10x5x3) and it can hold about 2100 grams.  So depending on what type of  bread you are making and how much you expect it to rise (double in bulk =100% rise), you could use 1000-1100 grams of dough.  If it's a lower rising bread like Rye, then even more dough.  Don't worry about that 1.5 pound label, it's relative not absolute.

Justanoldguy's picture
Justanoldguy

So, how do you like your USA pan? From the pictures it looks like it helps you to turn out a fine loaf. Congratulations. A slice or two for the Grand Jury Foreman will probably go a long way toward getting that indictment quashed.

AndyPanda's picture
AndyPanda

The pan is great.  I'm working on attempt #2 right now.  

The Grand Jury Foreman wanted a payoff so I slipped him some dough.