With an ordinary metal loaf pan I would shape the loaf, put it in the pan and leave it to prove overnight in the fridge. That doesn't seem right with the heavy cast iron. Going so cold into a hot oven might damage the pan? So maybe a shorter proof on the bench?
If I preheat it? Wrangling the dough into it without getting burnt myself... seems dodgy.
With the heavy lid on could it make a sandwich loaf like a pullman pan? Do I take the lid off after 20 minutes? Or some other amount of time?
Looks like it turned out just fine on the points you worried about! It also appears to have been too much dough for the pan. I have the same problem, but I read somewhere on TFL that someone uses "50 grams per inch" of Pullman pan. You don't say how much dough you used here, but you might want to measure your pan and then compare your dough weight to that suggestion. Your results look like they might be as much as 20% over sized for the pan, perhaps?
How was the bread on the inside? Did you get compression on the side the did not burst upward?
OldWoodenSpoon
50 g/inch of flour - not dough - would match with my 4 X 4 X 9 Pullman pan. g/in - what a strange mixed unit!
TomP
All my Pullman pans are 4 inches wide and 4 inches tall. They are 4, 9 and 13 inches long. 50 grams of flour per linear inch works out pretty well.
0.19 grams per cubic centimeter just isn't as memorable.
Gary
Strange mixed unit indeed! Thanks for clarification Tom
OldWoodenSpoon
I've never heard the g/in before, but I use 350g flour in a pan that's 7+", so it seems pretty accurate.
I don't remove the lid for any part of the bake because the tops get dark enough for me. I even put a couple pieces of parchment paper under the lid of the darker pan. It's personal preference. My pans are not cast iron.
Thankyou!!!
The internal dimensions of the cast iron pan are 28.5 x 12.5 x 11 = 3919cm3
So... x 0.19 = 744.6g of flour
I used 1000g.
OldWoodenSpoon's suggestion of 20% too much was very close.
That's my next bake.
Other than that it was good. The lid was stuck, but came off easily with patience (ie when cooled). I will certainly use parchment next time.
Amanda, according to the above formula, a 28.5cm pan, around 12" x 50g = 600g flour. More precisely, it's 11.22" x 50g = 560g flour.
I dunno, just saying.
EDIT: Ignore this post.
For pans that are 4 inches wide and 4 inches tall like the USA Pullman pans.
190 grams per liter is a better way to think of it.
Just a rule of thumb that works for me
Gary
Not meaning to be picking nits, but USA Pan doesn't list a 4 X 4 X 4 Pullman. The one I have is from Chef Made (where it's called a "toast box").
TomP
My 4 X 4 X 4 is a Pullman Loaf Pan with Lid Non-stick Square Smooth Toast Box Aluminized Steel Bread Pan with Lid,3.94x3.94x3.94in(10CM) Not nearly as nice as the USA pans.
It is great for experiments.
Gary
Take a look at the one by Chef Made:
4" x 4" Corrugated Toast Box
The material is carbon steel, with a non-stick coating ("Food Grade Silicone (Non-Teflon, LEAD/PTFE/PFOA/APEO-Free)"), and the page says that the inside coating is rough so "toast can climb effectively"). It costs a little more than the one you got from Amazon. Mine seems well-made.
Didn't realize the pan had to be 4".