On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 16:27:44 -0500, williamwaller
> wrote:

>What you have done is recreate the environment of a small steam oven within
>your larger oven. The dough will release enough water vapor to fully develop
>the bread and set the stage for an excellent crust when it finally hits the
>hot dry air.

Hi Will,

My comment is not to suggest that there is anything wrong with you
approach, but, assuming that I am understanding your comments
correctly, it is not "recreating" the environment of a small steam
oven at all.

In an oven with steam, the cool dough is put in the hot oven and then
steam is injected. The injection of steam allows the stored heat of
the oven to move into the surface of the loaf much more rapidly than
if the loaf were surrounded by dry air.

Your technique is analogous to putting the dough into a cold oven,
heating the oven for twenty minutes or so, and then injecting steam.

I am sure that you would agree that for the first many minutes that
the ceramic container is in the oven there is no steam created inside
because it is far too cool.

All the best,

--
Kenneth

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