November 17, 2014 - 10:21am
Steam Oven Owners?
Just wondering if there are any other steam oven owners out there.
I just steamed a 100% rye loaf at 212° for 15 hours with 100% humidity. It turned out beautifully.
There is very little information available, but I believe that genuine pumpernickel as made in Germany must be steamed at least 16 hours to legally be called pumpernickel.
Is anyone else steaming pumpernickel style loaves?
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I have a combi steam oven, and have used the steam function for shrimp, and also for cheesecake ( actually, the cheesecake comes out surprisingly well) but have never seen a recipe for steaming bread. Can you post the recipe?
Here's a steamed bread from a 1918 cookbook, Boston Brown Bread. Done on the stove-top instead of the oven, but a good proxy for the Pumpernickel method.
cheers,
gary
The recipe is a work in progress, but it turned out beautifully. I also used 10% altus or old bread in the recipe (hydrated to 70%). Please give feedback if you try it.
German Pumpernickel Bread Day 1
Preferment – 50g rye sourdough starter, 350g Bob’s Red Mill rye meal, 350g water Combine in a bowl, cover and leave to ripen for 16 – 24 hours.
Scalded Rye Berry Soaker – 200g Bob’s Red Mill rye berries, 200g boiling water Pour the boiling water over the rye grains and leave overnight.
Cracked Rye Soaker – 150g Bob’s Red Mill cracked rye, 150g water Combine in a bowl, cover and leave overnight.
Day 2 - Add one quart of water to the scalded rye soaker, bring to a boil and simmer for approx. 1 hour until soft.
Final dough ingredients –
550g cracked rye
175g water
22g salt
120g Lyle’s Golden Syrup (light molasses)
750g of sourdough
Drained rye berries
Cracked rye soaker.
Mix all ingredients until the dough comes together well. The dough should not be wet, but slightly sticky. It should peel off the side of the bowl easily.
Let rest 30 minutes. Oil a 13” pullman pan. Roughly shape loaf, place in pullman pan, top with rye flakes. Leave to prove for 3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 300°, 100% humidity.
Steam at 300° for one hour, then turn down the temperature to 212°, 100% humidity and steam for 15 hours.
Day 3 - Take the loaf out of the baking tin and cool on a rack. Wrap in plastic wrap or tin foil for another 24 hours.
Day 4 - Cut into thin slices and enjoy with butter and jam or smoked fish for a hearty breakfast!
The combi oven I have is not plumbed, there is a little container you add water to. I haven't counted how long it will last, but no way it will last anywhere near 15 hours at 100% humidity, my guess is more like 4 or 5 hours at a time. Gary's recipe looks doable, but with Thanksgiving approaching, it will be a while till I can get to it.
It's a simple quick bread. Simply mix it up and pour into a pan or mold. I happen to have a melon mold, so that's what I use. I boil water in a teapot and pour around the mold rather than risk burns lowering the mold into boiling water. The first couple of times, I used a stock pot. I have since switched to using a 15" roasting pan for the water bath. I see no reason this couldn't be done in the oven at, say 250℉ once the water is simmering.
Like pumpernickel, the flavor and texture of the brown bread improves with time. So mix it up and steam it on Sunday before T-day, wrap in Saran and serve it for dinner. It also tastes great warmed and buttered for a late snack or for breakfast.
cheers,
gary