The Lemon Fool

I have an oven with a steam programme...but don't use it!

I added a cup of boiling water to a preheated cast iron casserole.

Tarting...hmmm perhaps a tarte aux pommes for autumn

John

redsturgeon wrote:I have an oven with a steam programme...but don't use it!

I added a cup of boiling water to a preheated cast iron casserole.

Tarting...hmmm perhaps a tarte aux pommes for autumn

John

Thanks.
I do think it makes a difference - but I couldn't really get the hang of steaming our oven consistently (was using a ceramic ashet on the bottom that i'd pour in to)
Using a pot/Dutch oven trapping the loaf moisture seems to be simplest - but it wouldn't work for baguettes!

servodude wrote:

redsturgeon wrote:I have an oven with a steam programme...but don't use it!

I added a cup of boiling water to a preheated cast iron casserole.

Tarting...hmmm perhaps a tarte aux pommes for autumn

John

Thanks.
I do think it makes a difference - but I couldn't really get the hang of steaming our oven consistently (was using a ceramic ashet on the bottom that i'd pour in to)
Using a pot/Dutch oven trapping the loaf moisture seems to be simplest - but it wouldn't work for baguettes!

I think it does, I too use a dutch oven for the loaves but for a baguette it isn't long enough.

I will try the steam programme but I have to check the timings, it will release 1, 2 or 3 bursts of steam or has a fully auto bread making programme with steam but I'm not sure how that will provide the ten minutes with steam and the ten minutes without that the baguettes require.

John

servodude wrote:

redsturgeon wrote:I have an oven with a steam programme...but don't use it!

I added a cup of boiling water to a preheated cast iron casserole.

Tarting...hmmm perhaps a tarte aux pommes for autumn

John

Thanks.
I do think it makes a difference - but I couldn't really get the hang of steaming our oven consistently (was using a ceramic ashet on the bottom that i'd pour in to)
Using a pot/Dutch oven trapping the loaf moisture seems to be simplest - but it wouldn't work for baguettes!

I think that the trick to achieve consistency, is to work on being consistent.

John says that he uses a "cup" of "boiling" water in a "cast iron" casserole.

So the casserole pan, has high thermal mass and will be preheated to baking temperature. The water added is also at a constant* temperature, batch to batch. I'm not sure if the "cup" is just a thing that you drink out of, but if so I bet it's always the same size. I measured the water that I used in floz, but found inconsistency of oven temperature was more a problem with my gas oven.

As I'm not doing baguettes, tend to bake in a pan or tin with a lid that I can remove part way through.

*I think that this is also the reason that some people use ice cubes. Consistent temperature and volume. Though I'd argue measuring boiling water would provide more instant effect.

Urbandreamer wrote:

servodude wrote:
Thanks.
I do think it makes a difference - but I couldn't really get the hang of steaming our oven consistently (was using a ceramic ashet on the bottom that i'd pour in to)
Using a pot/Dutch oven trapping the loaf moisture seems to be simplest - but it wouldn't work for baguettes!

I think that the trick to achieve consistency, is to work on being consistent.

John says that he uses a "cup" of "boiling" water in a "cast iron" casserole.

So the casserole pan, has high thermal mass and will be preheated to baking temperature. The water added is also at a constant* temperature, batch to batch. I'm not sure if the "cup" is just a thing that you drink out of, but if so I bet it's always the same size. I measured the water that I used in floz, but found inconsistency of oven temperature was more a problem with my gas oven.

As I'm not doing baguettes, tend to bake in a pan or tin with a lid that I can remove part way through.

*I think that this is also the reason that some people use ice cubes. Consistent temperature and volume. Though I'd argue measuring boiling water would provide more instant effect.

Yes I use an american cup measure of boiling water and in my oven it disappears at the ten minute mark.

I agree that consistency is the key but sourdough does seem to have a mind of its own.

John

redsturgeon wrote:

Urbandreamer wrote:
I think that the trick to achieve consistency, is to work on being consistent.

John says that he uses a "cup" of "boiling" water in a "cast iron" casserole.

So the casserole pan, has high thermal mass and will be preheated to baking temperature. The water added is also at a constant* temperature, batch to batch. I'm not sure if the "cup" is just a thing that you drink out of, but if so I bet it's always the same size. I measured the water that I used in floz, but found inconsistency of oven temperature was more a problem with my gas oven.

As I'm not doing baguettes, tend to bake in a pan or tin with a lid that I can remove part way through.

*I think that this is also the reason that some people use ice cubes. Consistent temperature and volume. Though I'd argue measuring boiling water would provide more instant effect.

Yes I use an american cup measure of boiling water and in my oven it disappears at the ten minute mark.

I agree that consistency is the key but sourdough does seem to have a mind of its own.

John

I'm my defence I was measuring the water and trying to keep things controlled but I don't think I was compensating for environment (and I didn't want to keep opening the oven to top up)
I think the Dutch oven method helps keep the variance down
- or at least stop the fan forced oven dehydrating the crust until it's needed
It gets very dry round these parts on warm days (I've got a photo somewhere where I was letting a loaf prove outside at about 38deg - with the baneton wrapped in cling film to stop it drying out)

Just tucked in to a slice of my new loaf.

No photo's as it doesn't look that much different.

However the taste is brilliant. So what's different? Well I wound up taking 24hr to make it. I suspect that extra maturing time is what is responsible for it's complex taste. It's also a LOT more salty, which may be making a difference.

Here is the recipe I used.
https://breadbakes.com/oatmeal-sourdough-bread/

It's a very wet mix, so a very sticky dough. Indeed it stuck to the floured tea towel when proving and I had to scrape it off onto some baking parchment.

I'll definitely be making it again, but will reduce the salt and possibly prove in the same baking parchment that goes into my baking pan.

I believe the longer proving time definitely gives more flavour.

John