The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Another FWSY question...

RedEng's picture
RedEng

Another FWSY question...

Has anyone adapted the bread recipes to a baking stone w, steam instead of a dutch oven? If so, what temperature do you use and for how long?

WatertownNewbie's picture
WatertownNewbie

I usually divide the dough from a FWSY recipe in half and bake one loaf in the Dutch oven while the other is on a baking stone (two separate ovens).  For the baking stone I bake at 450 F after warming up at 500 F to allow for heat loss during the insertion of the loaf and creation of steam.  For steam I use a pair of disposable aluminum pie pans filled with lava rocks.  A minute or so before inserting the loaf, I pour hot water into one of the pans, and then just after inserting the loaf I fill the other pan with hot water.  About five minutes later I adjust the oven temp to 450 F, but by then it is usually a little below that and needs to heat up anyway.

As for the amount of time, I expect something in the range of 45-50 minutes, turn the loaf around midway during that period, and watch the loaf as time passes.  I always take the internal temperature of the loaf (suggestion -- get a Thermapen), and it is always at least 210 F.  Then I wait and watch until the outside of the loaf is a nice caramelized dark brown.  That typically occurs somewhere in the 45-50 minute range depending on the size of the loaf.

Hope this helps.

Ted

katyajini's picture
katyajini

How would you compare the two breads? The dance with hotheavy pots is really getting to me beacause of an injury.  Thanks!

katyajini's picture
katyajini

Thanks david!

WatertownNewbie's picture
WatertownNewbie

David is the authority on this stuff, but I wanted to add a couple of comments.  First, one difference for me is that the crust will set faster on the baking stone loaf than for the one in the Dutch oven.  That affects the oven spring and behavior of the scoring in particular.  The scores for the baking stone loaf do not open as widely or slowly as for the Dutch oven loaf.  Second, I can usually leave the Dutch oven loaf in a bit longer to achieve equal caramelization, and I need to keep a closer eye on the baking stone loaf to prevent burning (caramelization is one thing -- a good thing -- but burned toast is, well, burned toast).  Taste, as David notes, is essentially identical.

katyajini's picture
katyajini

Thank you!  makes my life easier for now.