November 10, 2007 - 8:25am
Romertoph Clay Baker Question
Has anyone ever tried to bake bread in one of these clay cookers? I've had one stored away in my basement for years - used to use it for baking chicken etc. but it was so messy to try and clean. I just brought it upstairs (had been reading about La Cloches forever and finally ordered one from Eric at Breatopia - only $39.00 by the way! $10.00 cheaper the Amazon) Anyway, I got to thinking about trying to bake bread in the Romertoph - What say you all?
Trish
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I have never baked in one but found this in recipes recommended by the manufacturer:
One Perfect Loaf
1 cup warm water (105-115° F)
1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cups (approx.) all purpose flour
Baking bread in a wet clay cooker results in a crisp shiny crust you may have thought possible only in a baker's brick oven.
Place warm water in a large mixer bowl and sprinkle with yeast.
Let stand until softened, about 3 minutes.
Stir in sugar, salt and oil.
Add 2 cups of the flour.
Mix until blended; beat on medium speed until dough is elastic and pulls away from bowl, about 5 minutes.
Stir in 1/2 cup of the flour to make soft dough.
Turn dough onto floured surface.
Knead, adding flour as needed, until dough is smooth and springy and small bubbles form just under the surface, 15 to 20 minutes.
Place dough in greased bowl; turn greased side up.
Let stand covered in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Soak Romertopf bottom of loaf shaped, 5-1/2 cup clay cooker in water about 15 minutes.
When dough has doubled, drain bottom of cooker pat dry.
Grease sides and bottom generously.
Punch dough; shape into loaf and place in cooker.
Let stand, covered with waxed paper, in warm place until dough nearly reaches top of cooker, 30 to 45 minutes.
Cut diagonal slashes, 1/2 inch deep, in top of dough with razor blade or sharp knife.
Soak top of cooker in water about 15 minutes; drain; pat dry and grease.
Place covered cooker in cold oven.
Set oven at 475° F.
Bake 45 minutes.
Remove cover, bake until top is brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove from cooker and cool on wire rack.
The above recipe is from Clay Cookery by the editors of Consumer Guide
I'm definately going to try this! I'll let you know how it turns out and photograph if it turns out well.
Trish
You might want to use the flours and seeds you like to give this small loaf a bit more flavor. Have fun!
www.alacook.co.uk/en-gb/dept_365.html
:) Mini O
I haven't seen the brand name you mentioned so I don't know what it looks like. The instructions for the Le Cloche don't include any soaking in water and no butter on the insides. I would go slow before trying this on my new clay cooker.
Eric
I've got a Romertopf which I use a lot for chicken - I'll HAVE to try this method for bread!
Andrew