The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

5 minute artisan baker and clay pot

maswindell's picture
maswindell

5 minute artisan baker and clay pot

I'm a complete newbie and wish to start baking. I bought the book Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day but notice Zoe only uses a stone. As I have a clay pot, do the recipes change at all for this method ?

What a great site for information

Mike

LindyD's picture
LindyD

Welcome to TFL, Mike.

What type of clay pot do you have?  Is it food safe?  What kinds of breads are you interested in learning to bake?

If you have looked through the Artisan Bread in five book, you'll have noted that most of the recipes there are not suitable for pot baking.  But that doesn't mean you couldn't try and experiment a bit.  

A good place to start here is reading through the Handbook, linked at the top of TFL's home page, and by browsing through the blogs.   You'll find lots of inspiration there.

maswindell's picture
maswindell

I have a Romertopf Clay Baker and I bought this baker asit is so versatile. I'd like to start baking some sourdoughs and ryes and if I can get those breads to work then proceed on to others. As far as the stone and Romertopf, I would like to use a piece of bakeware that I can use for more than one dish. Perhaps I am being too economical, ala cheap, but $50 is $50 and if I can get good results form the clay baker and not invest in the stone then thats the path I'll follow.

I have read tons of pages on this and other forums and enjoy them all. My kneading capabilities are limited due to previous hand injuries, and therefore looked long and hard at the no knead baking arena.

Thanks for all the replies, I plan on getting some starter soon, I'm an information junkie at heart.

JoeV's picture
JoeV

Ahhhhh, another "fiscally retentive" baker like myself. LOL. I love baking in the clay bakers, and have a Romertopf and two Schlemmertopf covered baking dishes, all purchased for no more than $6 each at thrift stores. They cook and bake beutifully.

 

As regards the baking stone, I have a 14" x 15" stone that I got at Bed, Bath & Beyond for $20 less the 20% coupon. It's only 1/2" thick, but I use it for making homemade pizza and it will also accomodate two full size loaves of Italian bread from my pizza peel. It works great and is definitely worth the $18. I bake all of my free form bread on the stone.

rolls's picture
rolls

hi just wanted to add that i bake heaps with that book too, its what got me back into making bread. i sometimes bake in a glass baking dish with lid, ive even tried with a saucepan (lid on). every  type of pot ive tried ive gotten beautiful oven spring and crust. i think baking in a claypot, especially with wet no knead dough, would help heaps with the texture and taste. if you take a look at their site they've got a post on it (baking in frech pot).