A few of my favourite things
So, what can you just not do without when you're baking artisan bread? I've got a few things I use all the time - some purchased, some home made. Here are some of them...
Top of the list is my baking stones - two slabs of 1.25 inch granite in my wall oven. They are off-cuts from a counter top place, and didn't cost much. Worth their considerable weight though!
These perforated Italian bread pans work very well for baking my long loaves. I can do 8 loaves at once, putting the pans directly on the stones.
When I want to bake long loaves without the pans, I proof them in these forms I made out of 1/2 inch wire screening. I line them with floured napkins. They're sort of like a solid couche!
I've got 4 of these 1.5 litre iron pots, and 4 slightly different ones (enameled orange ones; same volume but lower and wider). Believe it or not, I can also get 8 of these in my oven at once, making it possible to bake 8 round loaves at once!
Scales, of course. (Yes, I have 3 of them.) :) Also my bowl and bench scrapers, and long narrow peels made from 1/4 inch plywood.
The Scraptrap! This thing is amazing. It hangs over the edge of the drawer under the counter top. I use the included scraper to clear all the flour and stuff off the counter in between batches. Very handy.
A whole variety of other things, including whisks, scrapers and my instant-read probe thermometer. Not to mention lots of bowls, baskets and buckets for mixing, fermenting and proofing.
What can't you live without?
The info on the wire forms was new & interesting to me. I had at one time considered halving a PVC pipe however I think the wire is a much better solution. Thanks again.
Just a note - I line each 'cradle' with a separate napkin, otherwise it's a bit tricky to get the loaves out. I lift up each napkin and put it flat on the counter, then roll the proofed loaf onto my floured hand / arm and then onto the peel.
Each form holds two loaves so they are easier to store (I've got four of them so can proof 8 loaves at a time).
First time I've seen granite slabs. Interesting idea I'd like to explore. What are the pros and cons of using granite as baking stones versus the traditional baking stone? Does it retain heat better? Easier to clean? Less likely to crack?
since I saw that Richard Bertinet uses granite stones in the oven he demonstrates with on the DVDs included with his books.
I love the granite stones, for a few reasons. One, they cost much, much less than large rectangular 'baking stones', and I got them cut to exactly the size I needed. Two, they retain heat forever. When I bake in the morning (for 6 hours, to be fair), the stones are still warm to the touch the next morning. Three, they are super durable. I bake 2 to 3 days a week, often quite wet doughs, and spray the stones as well as using a pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven. I've never had a crack or any other issues. To clean them I just scrape off the bits of flour, farina (used to dust the peels) and anything else that has burned on to them, then swab them with a wet cloth. Easy peasy!