clay pot bread

[Allens]

I was in an outlet kitchen store the other day, and saw clay pots
specifically made for baking bread. They were in the shape of flower pots,
with an inside glazing. Has anyone used these? Do they give a better
crust than a regular bread pan? They also had smaller ones meant for
muffins.

Thanks,
Janet

[Elizabeth Sobotta]

No I have yet tried it. I seen it in Sam club. I thought it was funny.
Let me know if any one has tried it. Thank.

[charlene carman]

I just started making my own bread by hand. Today it was rosemary bread. I
would like to experiment with other ways of baking it though. The baking
stone sounds interesting. How does it make the bread better and where can I
get one? Thanks.

Char
SOSDOGS wrote in message <19971112174...@ladder02.news.aol.com>...
>I have a few clay pots (one for roasting, which should make a big oval
bread
> and one specifically for round bread). I think they stink!! I have tried
> every which way, and I find that the best breads are baked on a baking
stone
> without a pan. I raise them in wicker baskets lined with a cloth table
> napkin, then turn them over onto a hot baking stone. A round basket makes
a
> round bread, etc. etc. You can have shape you want. Don't waste your
money on
> a clay pot. Better yet, you pay the postage and you can have mine!!
>Barb Ross,NJ, rescuer of tiny dogs!

[bbm]

Joan Mathew wrote:

>
> sos...@aol.com (SOSDOGS) wrote:
>
> >I have a few clay pots (one for roasting, which should make a big oval bread
> > and one specifically for round bread). I think they stink!!
>

> I take it that you don't mean they literally stink, but instead that the
> resulting product is not good. Can you tell me why? What is wrong with
> the breads when baked in clay pots? When baking, did you leave the cover
> on the pots, so that the bread inside was enveloped in steam? I'm curious
> to know what recipes and methods you used since I make a lot of bread. I
> have a cloche and clay baker, and always like to have input from others on
> this matter.
>
> Thanks,
> Joan
> --Hi,

I do a lot of baking with historical recipes and my solution to
recreating a brick oven effect is to use a baking stone and a flower
pot. The pot is about 14 inches in diameter, but relatively flat. A
friend made me a handle for the top which closes off the hole and makes
it much easier to handle. Before he made it, my forearms were covered
with burns. Anyway, I heat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit with both
stone and pot inside. When I am ready to bake, I take the pot off, put
the bread on the stone, which I have sprayed with water, put the pot
back over the bread, turn down the oven to about 450 degrees and bake.
The water spray simulates the moisture which was generated when the
baker took the ashes out and cleaned the oven floor. This is a very
effective method. Not only do the breads seem to rise higher (see
Elisabeth David, "English Bread and Yeast Baking"), but the crust seems
to be darker and more attractive. I have tried once to bake in a clay
pot and it was a disaster, the bread stuck to the pot and came out in
chunks. Haven't tried since.

bbm

[SOSDOGS]

I follow directions for baking in a clay pot which, of course, includes soaking
the lid and then using it to create steam. First of all, the shape of the
bread is weird in a clay pot. Secondly, it comes out tough. I find a much
better loaf is made on a baking stone. To create steam, I put a small pan on
another shelf when I preheat the oven. After I put the loaf on the hot stone,
I add some cold water to the other pan. This creates instant steam. If I
forget to preheat the pan, I just spray water into the oven a few times the
first 15 mins. Makes a great loaf, just like from a good bread bakery.
Theclay pot bread is tough and doughey.

[LLamof]

The idea is to simulate the characteristics of an old fashioned brick oven. Why
exactly it works I'm not certain, but nothing else will provide that crispy
bakery French Bread or Italian Bread crust.

Most stores and catalogs that sell cooking and baking supplies have
baking/pizza stones or tiles. Unglazed ceramic tiles can also be purchased,
usually at a lower price than at "gourmet" shops, at stores that sell ceramic
supplies or even floor covering stores.

Get one that will fit your oven, and put it on the oven floor. You can also
line a baking sheet with tiles. I'd opt for the cheapest way that will provide
the results you want. Place your bread directly on the stone which has been
pre-heated and sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina.