Batard-shaped cloche? Steam-trays?
Hello everyone!
For a long time now I've been using the cast-iron method to bake my boules....but i'm getting bored with rounds and want to start making some other shapes. But I just can't seem to get enough steam in my oven using just a pizza stone to bake on + boiling water/cast iron for steam. Does anyone know of any batard-shaped cloches? I've seen one on amazon that's only 5.5 inches wide, which really isn't wide enough for a good batard.
I've also tried using an aluminum roasting pan to cover them, but that doesn't allow enough heat to circulate on the top of the bread ..... leading to a nice open crumb on the half of the bread closest to the stone, and a dense crumb on the upper portion of the loaf. I've heard of people using steam-trays as covers --- for anyone out there that has done this, does it allow enough heat circulation...good results?
Thanks!
Steven
of oven do you have, out of interest?
gas oven/range....brand as Hotpoint. Standard apartment-type oven.
Magnalite oval, very thick aluminum, turkey roasting pan that has a trivet insert. You can bake bastards 3 ways, on the trivet with extra steam with a couple T of water underneath, directly on the bottom of the roaster covered with the top and you can also bake the bread on a stone with the roaster bottom overturned on top. Works great either way.
They still make them I'd go for the 18" one http://www.wayfair.com/Magnalite-Cookware-C460241.html
Plus it makes great turkey adn chicken.
I also have an ovel Romertopf clay baker that bakes some fine bread and chicken too. http://www.romertopfonline.com/clay-bakers/
Thanks! The turkey raster looks like a more versatile tool, but I'm not sure I'm willing to throw down that much cash right now. The Romertopf, though, looks like a good option. What size do you have? I see they come with a top and a bottom. Is the bottom/top on its own big enough (read: tall enough) to cover a batard if I loaded it onto my stone? So, just using one/both pieces of the Romertopf as a lid/cover, instead of as a whole unit?
uses a really cheap oval metal turkey roaster that has a lid. He makes great batards in it. I see tham at Goodwill all the time for a dollar on dollar Thursdays. If want really good batards for very cheap this the way to go.
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/32885/vancouver-sourdough-new-baking-equipment No need to spend the big bucks on an expensive roaster or a Romertopf.
You can check out John's breads in early 2013 where he used the pan most often..
roaster bottom - It makes great bread if you ask me.
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/38053/multigrain-levain-multi-photos
I use a baking stone. I preheat the oven allowing at least an hour for the stone to come to temperature, 450°F. Just before adding the dough, on the shelf below the stone, I place a large shallow pan, e. g. the bottom of a broiler pan. and pour boiling water into this. I mist the bread dough and place it into the oven. I'll mist the dough several times during the first ten minutes and remove the pan of boiling water after fifteen minutes.
Ford
I use a DIY version of the steambreadmaker.com setup. Bought the parts on Amazon, and it works great. I use this steam tray, which is tall enough for boules, and long enough for batards:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002NQKP18
I fixed this handle to it on the front, not the top due to clearance issues:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I2ZRZVM/
Drilled a hole in the front above the handle to insert the nozzle from my handheld steamer, and messed around a lot with timing and amounts, finally settled on the following procedure:
steam for a total of 12 minutes, inject steam for 10s immediately after loading, another 10s after 1mn, then 10s every 2 minutes after that until the 12 minutes are up, then remove the cover and bake normally. Gives a lovely shiny, crisp crust, and great oven spring.
Note that your cover should not be larger than your baking stone/steel, otherwise steam will escape from the gaps underneath the cover. I use a 14"x14" steel, and this cover fits exactly over it.
I had previously tried other methods of steaming such as the wet towel in a pan, a hot cast iron skillet filled with boiling water etc... nothing gave me results as good as this.