The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Broken Oven

loaflove's picture
loaflove

Broken Oven

I'm so bummed out.  My oven is broken and because of the pandemic there is an appliance shortage at the stores and I probably won't be getting a new range until spring.  I haven't baked sourdough bread or bagels in months. .  We have the instant pot omni plus which is basically a toaster oven/air fryer appliance.  I've been contemplating making bread in it .  The thing is, I find the heat is very strange.  It's really intense and cooks things in half the amount of time that's recommended yet the oven thermometer registers as the same temperature as the the unit.  It doesn't seem to bake cookies very well.  The chocolate chip cookies don't seem to spread enough before they're done (maybe it's my recipe??).  Anyway, the banana bread i baked in there has a different crumb on the inside than compared to a regular oven, even though it browns ok on the outside.  it seems to me the heat is intense but doesn't penetrate well.  I've tried lowering it by about 25 degrees but it still bakes in half the time.  As for trying to make sourdough bread, my shallow dutch over fits inside but I'd have to make boules .  I prefer batards.  Can someone give me some advice on whether I should try making SD in this thing?  If I do, should i use a DO or should I just plop the loaf into the oven and throw in some ice cubes?  And how about temperature adjustments?  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.  I'm in SD withdrawl now.  

 

 

phaz's picture
phaz

Air "baking" has its downfalls. Definitely use a do, you don't really want the air part, just the heat part. Good luck! Enjoy! 

loaflove's picture
loaflove

Thanks Phaz.  I thought the bake mode wouldn't have "air" .  But I guess it still does.  I'm gonna try it . It'll  be a fun experiment.  Who knows, maybe it'll turn out great and I will never have to turn on a big oven to make SD again. 

all_you_need_is_loaf's picture
all_you_need_is_loaf

Have you looked into a countertop oven? I've seen people baking bread using a Breville Smart Oven or similar appliance. It has an optional convection fan, i.e. you can choose not to use the built in fan and bake your bread the conventional way.

loaflove's picture
loaflove

The omni plus is essentially a countertop oven.  We got that one to replace our over 15 year old Breville smart oven, which did not fit a DO. I don't think the smart oven got hot enough to bake SD .  Yeast bread maybe, like in a loaf pan sort of thing.  Thanks for your input !

GlennM's picture
GlennM

We bought one of those for our winter place. It’s really an air fryer/toaster oven. I found the air fryer setting very loud and you need to keep it away from the wall due to the heat coming out the back.  I have not baked bread in it but we have a Wolf toaster oven at home that the Dutch oven fits in. I bake bread in it all the time with excellent results.  Give it a try and report back!

loaflove's picture
loaflove

You're right, it is loud.  I was wondering which dutch oven you're baking bread in with the Wolf.  I can actually get my large LC oval DO into the Omni if I place it diagonally but it's the knob that  doesn't clear the top. I suppose i can remove the knob but I'd prefer not to handle a hot lid without a knob.  I have a round shallow LC DO which fits but I don't want to make round loaves plus it may not be high enough for the oven spring.   

I read the specs on the Wolf and the interior height doesn't sound much higher than the omni.  But what a beautiful looking quality toaster oven.  If I had known about it, I would have bought that instead of the omni plus.  I'm seriously considering getting the Wolf but my husband isn't too happy about it due to cost and space.  Do you bake cookies etc in the Wolf?

GlennM's picture
GlennM

Sorry for the delay. I have the lodge dutch oven with the flat lid that can be used as a skillet. It fits perfectly and no issues with burning or anything. I use convection mostly. Yes, cookies are fine.  We have a thermador wall oven, but we use the Wolf for almost everything. It really is a very high quality countertop oven. One of the best purchases we ever made !

loaflove's picture
loaflove

Thanks Glenn.  

I also commented on a different thread about your DO.  Please disregard that.  

GlennM's picture
GlennM

We bought one of those for our winter place. It’s really an air fryer/toaster oven. I found the air fryer setting very loud and you need to keep it away from the wall due to the heat coming out the back.  I have not baked bread in it but we have a Wolf toaster oven at home that the Dutch oven fits in. I bake bread in it all the time with excellent results.  Give it a try and report back!

loaflove's picture
loaflove

Hi Glenn

I'm trying to use my Wolf toaster oven to bake sourdough in a dutch oven.  My oven thermometer says the temperature is only about 410 inside  , whereas the oven says it's 450.  Do you think it's hot enough?

GlennM's picture
GlennM

I put the dutch oven in and preheat it for a while first - use convection if covered 

loaflove's picture
loaflove

When I open the oven to load the bread, all the heat escapes and takes a while to heat up again .  The oven spring isn't great because of that.  I guess maybe I have a defective oven.

GlennM's picture
GlennM

Just leave the Dutch oven in there for a while to preheat and that shouldn’t really make ant difference. 

justkeepswimming's picture
justkeepswimming

Sorry! That whole waiting for appliances thing during covid is hard. Do you have any scratch and dent/used appliance places near you that might have something, even if it's temporary? 

I have used a toaster oven (aka counter oven) successfully for loaf pan bakes and other. It worked reasonably well during our recent kitchen remodel, for everything from bread to baked potatoes, meatloaf, and more. 

If interested, take a look here and here for info. And I have read about baking in a crock pot... Not the best crust, but apparently decent enough bread in a pinch? I haven't tried that one.

Edit to add:

Elly's Everyday version is here. There were others out there in google-land too. I have had quite a bit of success with Elly's recipes in the past, for whatever that's worth. 

Good luck!!

Mary

loaflove's picture
loaflove

I'm about to put my beautifully bulk fermented loaf into the omni.  I removed the knob from my oval DO.  Wish me luck. I"m actually worried. It's preheating now.  🥺