I made some sourdough ciabattas last week using Silverton's recipe. (I
have previously made them regular, instead of sourdough, and i have
the same problem). The flavor was excellent, but i can't seem to get
my crust thick. I had a pan of water in the bottom of the oven, as
well as spritzing ever couple minutes for the first 8-10 mins. The
crust is very thin. What can i do to increase it?

jason

On 15 Aug 2004 19:48:46 -0700, (jason molinari)
wrote:

I had a pan of water in the bottom of the oven, as
well as spritzing ever couple minutes for the first 8-10 mins.

Hi Jason,

Each of those cools the oven significantly... It takes an incredible
amount of energy to change water to steam. If that happens inside the
oven, it just takes heat energy that you want to go into the bread. To
get the benefits of steam, it must be generated outside the oven, and
conveyed into the oven. That is (usually) easy to do. Just let me know
if you would like to know more about the method...

All the best,

--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

On 15 Aug 2004 19:48:46 -0700, (jason molinari)
wrote:

I had a pan of water in the bottom of the oven, as
well as spritzing ever couple minutes for the first 8-10 mins.

Hi Jason,

Each of those cools the oven significantly... It takes an incredible
amount of energy to change water to steam. If that happens inside the
oven, it just takes heat energy that you want to go into the bread. To
get the benefits of steam, it must be generated outside the oven, and
conveyed into the oven. That is (usually) easy to do. Just let me know
if you would like to know more about the method...

All the best,

--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

"Kenneth" wrote in message =
...

[ ... ]

To get the benefits of steam, it must be generated outside the oven, =
and
conveyed into the oven. That is (usually) easy to do. Just let me know
if you would like to know more about the method...

Presumably a reference to the pressure-cooker trick. Kenneth, how does
the crust obtainable with Bongard steam compare with what may be gotten
with pressure-cooker steam? (Digital photos of a slice or cut loaf =
would be=20
really good for a comparison.)

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...qdnrlnr1tv0ac=
@4ax.com
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...fg3v87s3lf09p=
@4ax.com

Would one who had achieved satisfaction with the pressure-cooker trick =
be advised to
further invest in a commercial, steam-fitted, bakery oven?

Many thanks in advance for your attention to this inquiry.

--=20
Dick Adams
firstname dot lastname at bigfoot dot com
___________________
Sourdough FAQ guide at=20
http://www.nyx.net/~dgreenw/sourdoughfaqs.html

"Kenneth" wrote in message =
...

[ ... ]

To get the benefits of steam, it must be generated outside the oven, =
and
conveyed into the oven. That is (usually) easy to do. Just let me know
if you would like to know more about the method...

Presumably a reference to the pressure-cooker trick. Kenneth, how does
the crust obtainable with Bongard steam compare with what may be gotten
with pressure-cooker steam? (Digital photos of a slice or cut loaf =
would be=20
really good for a comparison.)

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...qdnrlnr1tv0ac=
@4ax.com
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...fg3v87s3lf09p=
@4ax.com

Would one who had achieved satisfaction with the pressure-cooker trick =
be advised to
further invest in a commercial, steam-fitted, bakery oven?

Many thanks in advance for your attention to this inquiry.

--=20
Dick Adams
firstname dot lastname at bigfoot dot com
___________________
Sourdough FAQ guide at=20
http://www.nyx.net/~dgreenw/sourdoughfaqs.html

Kenneth wrote in message . ..
On 15 Aug 2004 19:48:46 -0700, (jason molinari)
wrote:

I had a pan of water in the bottom of the oven, as
well as spritzing ever couple minutes for the first 8-10 mins.

Hi Jason,

Each of those cools the oven significantly... It takes an incredible
amount of energy to change water to steam. If that happens inside the
oven, it just takes heat energy that you want to go into the bread. To
get the benefits of steam, it must be generated outside the oven, and
conveyed into the oven. That is (usually) easy to do. Just let me know
if you would like to know more about the method...

All the best,

Hey Ken, i would like to hear how to steamify the oven externally. Is
steam generation definitely my thin-crust problem?

thanks
jason

Kenneth wrote in message . ..
On 15 Aug 2004 19:48:46 -0700, (jason molinari)
wrote:

I had a pan of water in the bottom of the oven, as
well as spritzing ever couple minutes for the first 8-10 mins.

Hi Jason,

Each of those cools the oven significantly... It takes an incredible
amount of energy to change water to steam. If that happens inside the
oven, it just takes heat energy that you want to go into the bread. To
get the benefits of steam, it must be generated outside the oven, and
conveyed into the oven. That is (usually) easy to do. Just let me know
if you would like to know more about the method...

All the best,

Hey Ken, i would like to hear how to steamify the oven externally. Is
steam generation definitely my thin-crust problem?

thanks
jason

Kenneth wrote in message . ..
On 15 Aug 2004 19:48:46 -0700, (jason molinari)
wrote:

I had a pan of water in the bottom of the oven, as
well as spritzing ever couple minutes for the first 8-10 mins.

Hi Jason,

Each of those cools the oven significantly... It takes an incredible
amount of energy to change water to steam. If that happens inside the
oven, it just takes heat energy that you want to go into the bread. To
get the benefits of steam, it must be generated outside the oven, and
conveyed into the oven. That is (usually) easy to do. Just let me know
if you would like to know more about the method...

All the best,

Hey Ken, i would like to hear how to steamify the oven externally. Is
steam generation definitely my thin-crust problem?

thanks
jason

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004, jason molinari wrote:

Kenneth wrote in message . ..
Each of those cools the oven significantly... It takes an incredible
amount of energy to change water to steam. If that happens inside the
oven, it just takes heat energy that you want to go into the bread. To
get the benefits of steam, it must be generated outside the oven, and
conveyed into the oven. That is (usually) easy to do. Just let me know
if you would like to know more about the method...

All the best,

Hey Ken, i would like to hear how to steamify the oven externally. Is
steam generation definitely my thin-crust problem?

thanks
jason

Unles it' sin a FAQ somewhere I missed it, I'd also like ot see it, and it
would probably bee good to re-post it here, for the other newcomers.

Thanks!

Dave

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004, jason molinari wrote:

Kenneth wrote in message . ..
Each of those cools the oven significantly... It takes an incredible
amount of energy to change water to steam. If that happens inside the
oven, it just takes heat energy that you want to go into the bread. To
get the benefits of steam, it must be generated outside the oven, and
conveyed into the oven. That is (usually) easy to do. Just let me know
if you would like to know more about the method...

All the best,

Hey Ken, i would like to hear how to steamify the oven externally. Is
steam generation definitely my thin-crust problem?

thanks
jason

Unles it' sin a FAQ somewhere I missed it, I'd also like ot see it, and it
would probably bee good to re-post it here, for the other newcomers.

Thanks!

Dave

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004, jason molinari wrote:

Kenneth wrote in message . ..
Each of those cools the oven significantly... It takes an incredible
amount of energy to change water to steam. If that happens inside the
oven, it just takes heat energy that you want to go into the bread. To
get the benefits of steam, it must be generated outside the oven, and
conveyed into the oven. That is (usually) easy to do. Just let me know
if you would like to know more about the method...

All the best,

Hey Ken, i would like to hear how to steamify the oven externally. Is
steam generation definitely my thin-crust problem?

thanks
jason

Unles it' sin a FAQ somewhere I missed it, I'd also like ot see it, and it
would probably bee good to re-post it here, for the other newcomers.

Thanks!

Dave

"Kenneth" wrote in message
...
To get the benefits of steam, it must be generated outside the oven...

Pardon me, Kenneth, but IMHO that's a bunch of hooey. Many commercial deck
ovens (Bongards included) generate their steam inside the oven by spraying
water on heated metal plates (how does your Bongard generate steam?). Why
shouldn't the same technique work well for the home baker? In fact, it
works quite well for me. At the bottom of my oven, I have a roasting pan
full of cleaned landscaping stones that is heated when the oven preheats
(with apologies to D. Adams). When I load my loaves into the oven, I toss
1/2 - 1 cup of extremely hot water onto the stones and quickly close the
door, thus producing voluminous amounts of steam. The result is a nice,
shiny crisp crust (photos previously posted).

- Steve Brandt

"Kenneth" wrote in message
...
To get the benefits of steam, it must be generated outside the oven...

Pardon me, Kenneth, but IMHO that's a bunch of hooey. Many commercial deck
ovens (Bongards included) generate their steam inside the oven by spraying
water on heated metal plates (how does your Bongard generate steam?). Why
shouldn't the same technique work well for the home baker? In fact, it
works quite well for me. At the bottom of my oven, I have a roasting pan
full of cleaned landscaping stones that is heated when the oven preheats
(with apologies to D. Adams). When I load my loaves into the oven, I toss
1/2 - 1 cup of extremely hot water onto the stones and quickly close the
door, thus producing voluminous amounts of steam. The result is a nice,
shiny crisp crust (photos previously posted).

- Steve Brandt

"Kenneth" wrote in message
...
To get the benefits of steam, it must be generated outside the oven...

Pardon me, Kenneth, but IMHO that's a bunch of hooey. Many commercial deck
ovens (Bongards included) generate their steam inside the oven by spraying
water on heated metal plates (how does your Bongard generate steam?). Why
shouldn't the same technique work well for the home baker? In fact, it
works quite well for me. At the bottom of my oven, I have a roasting pan
full of cleaned landscaping stones that is heated when the oven preheats
(with apologies to D. Adams). When I load my loaves into the oven, I toss
1/2 - 1 cup of extremely hot water onto the stones and quickly close the
door, thus producing voluminous amounts of steam. The result is a nice,
shiny crisp crust (photos previously posted).

- Steve Brandt

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004, Steve B wrote:

works quite well for me. At the bottom of my oven, I have a roasting pan
full of cleaned landscaping stones that is heated when the oven preheats
(with apologies to D. Adams). When I load my loaves into the oven, I toss
1/2 - 1 cup of extremely hot water onto the stones and quickly close the
door, thus producing voluminous amounts of steam. The result is a nice,
shiny crisp crust (photos previously posted).
- Steve Brandt

To better understand this for my own kitchen, I assume you have a
"conventional" home-type oven. Gas or electric? How long do you preheat
the oven, particularly since you're heating a large box of rocks, as well?

Dave