February 6, 2009 - 10:59am
Baking on 2 levels with 2 baking stones...
Hey All,
Just a quick question.
I would like to double the capacity of my standard home oven and was wondering if any of you have experience baking with 2 baking stones on different levels in the same oven... If so, is there any difference in the temperature between the stones, or does this equal out when the oven is pre-heated? Do the breads bake differently on the top stone vs the bottom stone? Please let me know. Thanks.
Tim
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Tim,
Funny, I asked a similar question just a few weeks ago.
Yes, you should be able to bake on two levels with two stones. I have had success doing so, but be sure to rotate top to bottom and bottom to top at least once during the baking cycle. I also found that it took longer to preheat the oven.
Eric Brown
I agree, it takes longer to preheat. A good hour and a quarter in my case. And I lost a lot more heat from the extra loading time, and recovery time was longer.
I had another problem too. With the skillet on the bottom shelf (for steam), the first stone on the middle and the second up higher I found there's not much height available in my oven. Baking larger loaves with any sizable oven spring I found they could climb enough to touch the rack above, and even had a pair of loaves get tangled with the broiler element. So I don't do that anymore. And I did have to rotate, even when switching to convection mode after the steaming was done. The top layer would brown first, and quickly, but then my oven uses the top (broiler) element (at a low level setting) even in 'bake' mode. Yours may not. A loaf tangled in a hot element is something of a chore to clean up, let me tell you!
It worked ok (not great) for smaller, low profile breads though. Nowadays I just retard loaves in the queue and use one stone, which I find to be less of a hassle.
Thanks!
As far as I know, in the bake function for my oven, which is gas, the heat only comes from the bottom. The broiler only functions in broil mode. Also, there is a convection function which I need to try out... I was thinking about starting the loaves on the bottom, then halfway, rotating them and transfering them to the top, and then reload the bottom...
I don't bake any really tall loaves right now, mostly ciabatte, and most recently baguettes... I don't bother with steaming and misting either...
Next week, I'll probably get a 2nd stone, or borrow my girlfriend's stone to test it out...
I'll keep you posted on my findings...
Hi.
I know it's been a long time since it was posted but I find myself needing to bake more loaves per time since I've been getting "orders" from friends and family.
Since a single stone, hence single load, is taking increasingly long time, I was thinking about doubling the stones and baking 2 loaves at a time.
Anyone have any ideas?
I bake tall bread, I think I have enough height for two