What bakes the BEST BREAD? Stone vs. Dutch Oven

[@charlescresap4451]

I teach sourdough bread at a local university. The 1 pound bread loaf the students make is cooked in a pair of stainless steel bowls, one to cook, one to cover. They cost $1.30 each and make a great loaf. Just shape the loaf and put it in the bowl for fridge rest, proofing and cooking with no preheating. The loaf goes straight into a 475 F oven for 20 minutes to bake, then 8 minutes to brown. Simple, easy, cheap.

[@ninjaros1]

Could you send a link to the type of bowl?

[@charlescresap4451]

Dollar Tree. $1.25 each, 2 per loaf. 1 for the bread, 1 for the cover.

[@sandra.louize]

Ver interesting. I would love to know how to make it this way seems very uncomplicated and simple!!

[@karencrane2248]

Just plain stainless steel? In 475?oven? I love this

[@charlescresap4451]

Dollar Tree 8"stainless steel dog water bowls cost $1.25. You need 2 for each loaf, bread pan and cover. Remove the rubber ring and labels. Coat bread pan with cooking spray, dust with flour. Preheat oven 475 F. Cook bread 20 minutes covered. Remove cover, cook 12 minutes. Cool on a rack about an hour for the inside to finish cooking

[@brizi145]

Baking hack perfection - thank you!

[@GibeinenNutzername]

A cross-comparison between pizza stone, pizza steel (only the lower part of the dutchoven), closed dutchoven and normal baking tray would be super interesting.

[@petersimon1362]

I had no idea you could parbake bread like this. So excited to try this

[@carlosortega8357]

I was Flight attendant with AA for 40 yrs. All the bread is parbaked - we finish it in 20 minutes in aviation design convection oven. All food is prepared by catering to be finished in 20 minutes on board, not just bread. Excellent bread came out.

[@Mara_74]

Dankeschön! Really needed to watch this right now👍! Struggling so much with oven spring, but I guess it is not from my baking setup! I really need to get bulk fermentation right first! Big thanks from Portugal!

[@joeees7790]

I think comparing the Challenger, to a Brovn and regular dutch oven would be interesting.

[@dianevitale1214]

A very thorough demonstration. Just am so surprised loaves were not sliced into to compare.

[@voidremoved]

I baked stoned. It was a bit messier than usual... And I ate everything before it even cooled. In comparison I tried to bake drunk and nearly burned the place down. My conclusion is, bake when sober, then get stoned.

[@the_bread_code]

😂 the bread baked you?

[@bluewren65]

@@the_bread_code No, he was already baked. The bread was just an unfortunate bystander.

[@lbazemore585]

😂

[@hacgarimman9660]

I'm not surprised you eat it all when you are baking stoned 😂

[@kariolavi]

Many thanks for your experiments! I bake my bread nowadays 30+30 mins. First 30 mins in a Dutch Oven (230 c) and after that 30 mins on the oven rack (200 c) i.e without the Dutch Oven! I like dark skin bread; the flavour is there!

[@carlosortega8357]

Alles gut !! Vielen danke ! I live in Colombia and ordered a hefty 4 mm thick steel square for baking (cut with plasma cutter, rounded corners) to fit my oven (with space for air circulation) and use that instead of stone. Total cost was US$ 12. I place wet rolled cloth on oven tray on bottom of oven for first 10 minutes, remove it and finish baking.

[@andersenchiangmai]

Most household ovens have a seal between the door and the oven frame thus not letting the steam out...I bake 2 sourdough loafs at the time on a baking stone. I add a bit of water to the inside of the oven just before I close the door and my loafs turns out fine....

[@NancyAnneMartin]

Really cool experiment, and was almost relieved to see that it was almost a wash in the way both bread's turned out. Personally, I have a really old Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid. I've started bake my loaf in that for the first half, then remove it via the parchment paper underneath and put it on a cookie sheet to continue baking until it's brown. This seems to give me much better oven spring. It would be easier overall with the Challenger Dutch oven, but I don't want to spend the money nor do I have the space for that.

[@annabellechappell8752]

I thought the Challenger loaf had better oven spring. I did buy a Challenger bread pan (at full price) and it's really heavy. I struggle a bit to push the rack with the pan on it into the oven, but I'm a 75 year old woman. However, the payoff is my loaves have much better oven spring and crust. Also, I prefer a batard and one won't fit in my big Dutch oven. Just some thoughts I wanted to offer.

[@charlescresap4451]

Really complicated. Use the Dollar Tree dog water bowl with second for a cover. Cost $2.50. After your bread is shaped, it goes in the dog bowl for resting, proofing and cooking. Cook 20 minutes covered in a 475 F oven and then 12 more minutes uncovered.

[@simplybeautifulsourdough8920]

@@charlescresap4451 This was two years ago. Things have simplified for me since then. (Sam person, different channel. 😀)

[@ronbarry285]

I have a small production hack for you. Instead of using your knuckles to tap the bottom of the bread use your fingertips so your fingernails contact the bottom of the loaf and you can get that "hollow" sound at almost any stage of baking. This technique is not the goal but for the sake of production and time saving try it. When I use a dutch oven it takes hours for my bread to "dry out" in the center so I can video that sound while waiting for the bread to dry internally. Time saver ONLY. Love your stuff.

[@alexpizzabite949]

Very interesting experiment 👌 I will try to do it soon and let’s see what is going to come out

[@isabelab6851]

I have a challenger and I love using it because I bake in my Breville Smart Oven so it really helps getting the right temperature. But is is helpful to have this knowledge when I am not home and I need to bake bread!

[@nu5045]

More Dr. Bread please!! So entertaining and people get to show off their bread and improve their bread !

[@kevinu.k.7042]

Nice video. FWIW - I switched to a steel baking 'stone' from a thick ceramic stone. The oven spring was greatly improved. Dough sitting on a ceramic stone chills it's footprint. too quickly. A steel baking 'stone' gives a better crispy bottom. They also heat up faster.

[@vensel9697]

What a great comparison test. I always wondered which method works better. I prefer the Dutch oven myself since there's no complicated set up. I'm saving up for a challenger. Thank you for another great video! 🤗

[@jonathanstout6618]

You could totally break that par-baking technique into it's own videos. I just cut into a loaf I fully baked two days ago because I was trying to finish another loaf first. And while it was great, I'm guessing I would've been better to have par-baked it, and then browned it off today. Also, I'd love to know your thoughts on methodology for how long to let the loaves rest/cool after the par-baking, and after the final baking. Cheers and thanks as always!

[@JoannaHammond]

I've always just done the water tray at the bottom trick, cold water and let the oven preheat for over an hour. Then that oven is basically like a sauna :D Perfect.

[@the_bread_code]

That's works great yep 🙏🏻

[@ericwiltz6584]

Thank you again for an excellent tutorial!

[@MrPhillyval]

Every one has a cast iron casserole at home that can really make an excellent dutch oven.

[@angelikaradominska5512]

I made this comparison and for my poor oven baking in dutch oven is better beacouse of small capacity of my oven- the upper heating element is too low over the bread 😀but life is life- I adapted and overcomed it👍

[@reneotten5411]

Awesome test. So far, I have always baked my bread with the "stone-setup", always wondering if I should invest (a lot) in a dutch oven, and now I know that the difference is only marginal. So I will just continue like I'm used to bake, because we Dutch people are cheap too! 🤣🤣🤣

[@swissmaid]

I am swiss, Berner and wee are even cheaper, 🤣🤣🤣

[@nancycurtis488]

We older Texas bakers...(74 yr. old baker who has been baking for about 57 yrs. and who is the mother of 7 grown children (I lost my oldest son almost 2 yrs. ago 3 days before his 54th birthday...has been HARD), and 17 grandsons and 2 granddaughters ( lost my oldest grandchild/granddaughter when she was 21yrs. old in a car crash on 12-05-08...another hard hit) can also be very cheap. I think when you have as many children as I did but still want to provide the best you can for your children, you learn to be a wonderful scratch baker and cook as well as learning to be a good seamstress. It is the way to go.

[@popcorn7657]

Danke schön. J’ai bien apprécié ce video. Thank you for the hack as i heard about it but was not sure how to process.

[@ceryowston]

Very informative, i bought a stone last week and i wasnt quite sure how to use it but... These techniques will help

[@janster7777]

Your breads look great. I really appreciate your interviews with bakers I have followed since I started baking sourdough in 2018. 🎉🎉🎉

[@charlespartak2435]

Hendrik , thanks for every single video on sourdough. Im still looking for the perfect loaf. I have a question for you and im putting it in the experimental group...have you tried yet to bake a loaf in an outdoor grill. I own a recteq 380 and bought a stone and " pizza oven " accessory for it and the thought crossed my mind to try it . But of course put a steam bowl over it on the stone as you would in an indoor oven. Try it and see , might be a game changer.

[@AntonioJ_79]

Excellent experiment, I would like to see another video experimenting in a pyrex container with a lid.

[@gulfcoastgal_]

Love your experiments Thank you for your quest for best protocols Consider a clay baker which can be soaked and bottom half is glazed Then put in cold oven baked for one hr closed One clay baker version has bottom interior glass glazed After you have used it s while perhaps compare Dutch oven Broven etc

[@Myrkskog]

I use a stone and a large, upturned pyrex mixing bowl for viewing.

[@weekend_art]

I just bought pyrex for the same idea! I was sure there are more of us 😅

[@weekend_art]

Do you preheat the Pyrex together with the stone?

[@Myrkskog]

@@weekend_art Yes, just in case there's any issues with adding it to a hot oven. I"m sure pyrex is fine with that, but would hate to crack the bowl.

[@weekend_art]

@@Myrkskog thank you so much for answering! I am now calculating maximum loaf size that would fit under 3l 24cm pyrex: probably something around 350 grams flour, half kilo loaf

[@bryanonthecoast572]

Thank you. Your tips have made a big difference in my bread baking. I have tried everything to get the blisters on my loaves, but I haven't figured it out yet!

[@earthmagic1]

Bryan, a fine mist of water several times in the first ten minutes of baking makes blisters.

[@debbiepowers4743]

Spray your loaf with water before putting it in the oven. I never got blisters till I did that.

[@jovanypedroza85]

Do you think there’s be a difference in placing in a bag then in fridge, or just banneton in fridge, no bag?

[@robinlillian9471]

I have baked bread a lot of different ways. It's always better than store bought, unless it's an old fashioned bakery. Every region of the world where wheat or rye grow has its own favorite yeasted breads. It's really just a matter of preference.

[@the_bread_code]

Great question. I'd say there might not be a major difference. Great idea to test :-D

[@marcelpaa]

Cool 👍

[@pH15cHy]

This is perfectly timed. I have been considering using a stone instead of my dutch oven. I will need to use a glass bowl as I have a natural gas stove that exhausts steam out too quickly for oven spring.

[@the_bread_code]

🙏🏻 yep. That should help.

[@janster7777]

I think you would need to do this experiment several times because, as you said...shaping and scoring influence the final loaf. Great experiment!

[@空天-u3p]

by adding this in your talk "we germans ...typical german" you have proven that you are indeed a typical german ;-) ... great video

[@JackFromTheKitchen]

Try to get pizza steel, in Germany called pizza Stahl. It think it could solve some problems which regular stone is having. Did you try to preheat your stone to the higher temperature? Let's say 270-300 C. The amount of steam, volume of oven and the time when the stone is outside and oven doors are opened might cousing higher loss of temperature at the start of baking.

[@the_bread_code]

Thanks. Great comment. In my past experiments I noticed that 230°C seems to be the sweet spot :-)

[@barrychambers4047]

You are not a stingy German, Hendrik. You are a frugal human being, and that's an attribute, Sir! Stingy would be like if you never bought your buddies a beer, and always forgot your wallet. With so much wealth in the western parts of the world, it is a crime to waste. When I bake with an extra large banneton I'll just use our roasting pan. It works just as well as the Dutch oven. Nice looking loaves, by the way!

[@barrychambers4047]

I shouldn't say the "western parts of the world", but all of the affluent parts of the world, which is right.

[@lsieu]

AAAAHH...... You didn't cut them open to show the crumb?!? Thanks all the same. Good video on that... And now I'm hungry. lol!

[@AuntDuddie]

I love crumb reveals.

[@serbanpopescu1032]

Your second loaf got stuck because two factors: 1. the stone was likely not yet at temp, and 2. the stone was almost unused. I regularly bake my sourdough loaves (about 1kg, larger than a batard) on a pizza stone (similar thickness as yours - very important detail) at 455°F. No steam tray underneath nor an inverted tray over the loaf. However, my technique involves placing over the loaf of a pre-heated 6qt cast iron pot. In essence, it’s your setup but with a ceramic bottom. Results have been very consistent over the years. I like the way stone transfers the heat to the bottom of the loaf (it actually has a different texture than if baking on cast iron), it’s exactly the same as the way my backyard wood-fired bread oven bakes. Your channel is very interesting, thanks for putting the effort into these bread-baking porn videos 😂

[@video123film]

Ooh, thanks for the tip for getting fresh bread a few days after a bake. I have found that if you leave a loaf uncovered on the counter for a day or two after a full bake, the crust stays crisp and the overall the texture is the same. But with your tip you get nice hot bread and maybe the dinner party flourish of taking a loaf out of the oven! Hmm actually, usually I wait one hour after a bake before cutting into the loaf. Do you still recommend that with your method?

[@geoklanong3283]

Lovely breads. I noticed that u switched fr fan mode to top n bottom heating. May I know the reason? Tq.

[@the_bread_code]

Just to make sure you have as much steam as possible. The fan removes too much steam.

[@Gokukakarot-onYoutube]

I have done some similar experiments not on a pizza stone but a pizza steel, that conducts the heat better. I also own the Challenger Breadpan, and it is more convenient and I achieve ovenspring even if I didn't proof to the full. But I can bake two loafs on the pizza steel at once.

[@notrob4376]

Try spritzing your dough at 5-minute intervals while baking to achieve a better oven spring with a cheap $10 enamel roaster or bread pan. This has been helping me. This is great if you don't want to purchase extra gadgets for bread making.

[@rhondahauser1750]

Fabulous video thank you so much

[@x70101]

Have you tried the ceramic emille henry oven pan? And if so, do you think it's a good alternative?:)

[@laineberning2578]

This is a good question, particularly for those of us who live in Europe. Importing the Challenger is expensive for us, The Brovn - a glass dome without handles, seems fragile and I think it’s something I’d quickly break. The Emile Henry seems like a good alternative.

[@lindawilson3071]

I have a Emile Henry round pan and I love it, it’s perfect every time, never fail but it is smaller one It supports the dough. It’s the one they call the potatoe baker. I’m going to buy another one,, it’s about 3 quarts.

[@the_bread_code]

Yes. I have a loaf pan from them. But - I don't like it. It has holes near the bottom? Why? My mom has the Emile Henry round with a lid. It should do exactly the same as a dutch oven :-). For high hydration doughs, preheat it. For stiff doughs, no need to preheat.

[@jklphoto]

Helpful comparison. Struggling to find the right solution for making artisan loaves in my biga$$ American vented oven (your tiny euro oven is so cute ;-) As you conclude, I think the "Dutch" oven is still the best! Surprised to hear you say the refrigerator was good for storage. I have always heard that is a Nein Nein. I just slice and freeze any bread I can't use in a day or two. Perhaps that is a good topic for the future?

[@robinlillian9471]

If you put parchment paper between the dough & the banneton, and leave some hanging over the edges, you can use that to lift the risen dough out and deposit it on the baking stone. The bread bakes just fine with the parchment paper still underneath. Or you can turn it upside down & peel it off. Or you can empty the banneton onto the parchment paper on top of a peel or the table & transport it to the stone that way.

[@ivgardi]

I prefer a fiberglass baking mat. It reduces waste as it is reusable and it does not stick at all.

[@pieeetr]

I would like to know more about your ph meter. Does it help you pin point if your dough has fermented long enough? Which model are you using?

[@the_bread_code]

Yep. It does. I will be making a video on that topic soon.

[@Rob-metoo527]

The sink cut out from a granite countertop. Makes perfect pizza stone

[@ivgardi]

Thanks. Just bought myself a stone and going to test it.

[@4magic4]

Hello from Canada... I like your channel. Question > It looks like there is no flour on the top of the bread or on the cloth in the bannetons. How does the dough not stick to the cloth? Thanks !

[@the_bread_code]

I like to give it a good rub with wheat flour before placing it in the banneton :-)

[@m005kennedy]

I would like to see you obtain this same look with regular yeasted bread.

[@ninelaivz4334]

$279 for a cast iron cookware! Mr. Challlenger is having a laugh. You can get a beautifully glazed 26cm Dutch oven from Aldi for £29.

[@Bayone13]

Some of the cheaper shiny glazes on terra cotta cooking gear contain lead, including some made in Mexico. Do google research on this.

[@ninelaivz4334]

​@@Bayone13 I don't think they would allow that in Europe. But anyway Aldi ones are cast iron.

[@rolesare]

I’m wondering if undercooking your bread and finishing it later affects your loaves somehow. What’s the difference with, say, baking them completely and then freezing them?

[@the_bread_code]

Great question. I need to test this a little more 🤓

[@swissmaid]

Bread won't be crispy nor have the fresh taste!

[@chazyvr]

You keep calling yourself lazy but a lazy person wouldn't do what you do. :)

[@arjean-n9o]

for a good oven rise, if you use a stone and steam, just turn the oven off for ten minutes right after you put the bread in the oven. Then turn the oven back on to 210 degrees Celsius.

[@isobelm7416]

Please please show me how to incorporate nuts/walnuts in my sourdough bread. Almost nobody has videos about it. And I seem to make nutty frisbees everytime. Pleaseeee

[@jimfromri]

Maybe you have already and I missed it, but could you talk more about how you use your ph meter and what you learn from its readings? Thank you for your great videos.

[@isabelab6851]

I have been wondering about getting one...but the calibration could be challu

[@the_bread_code]

Yes. Will do. One of my next videos will be on that topic :-)

[@the_bread_code]

@Isabel - yep. They are also so pricey :-(

[@michellelindholm2100]

A slice comparison for inside texture would be great 🍥‼️

[@joannestretch]

I heard of a baker that preheats the oven , then when ready to bake it in dutch oven , turns the heat off for the first half of baking in dutch oven , then when that is finished the over goes back on, amazing oven spring with this technique , could be your next experiment to do, would love to see your results on this one

[@asafs000]

Nice comparison, pity we couldn't see the crumb as it's more important than anything IMO :)

[@joebananas123]

Can you show us how to make a Schwarzbrot some time in the future? :)

[@the_bread_code]

Took a note. Thanks 🙏🏻

[@dionnegule599]

Or laugenbrezel! Please! (Hopefully that reads pretzel)

[@AuntDuddie]

@@dionnegule599 I'm from Pretzelvania. I love Pretzels.

[@swissmaid]

Yes, yes schweizer schwarzbrot, please, living in Australia bin aber Schweizerin, and the bread is plastic here!

[@DaveK385]

I got tired of putting the stone and water pan in the oven, since I use the oven for other things. It's easier to just use a cast iron pan. I really like my Challenger pan, other than the weight.

[@robinlillian9471]

I just leave the stone in the oven for most baking. The chicken didn't care. I have also seen videos where people put the lid of a large baking pan like for turkey over the bread. The top part doesn't have to be cast iron. You just need a lid big enough. On the other hand, I mostly just don't bother with the water pan or a lid these days & the bread comes out fine. It depends on how picky you are.

[@kathykathrynm9375]

Interesting experiment. I loved your “half-baked” hack. Can you freeze the half-baked bread?

[@popcorn7657]

Yes i heard about that hack also with Bake with Jack but didn’t know how.

[@the_bread_code]

I only use the fridge, not the freezer. I'll make a video on it 🤓

[@kathykathrynm9375]

Thanks. I’ll do an experiment.

[@DavyLandman]

@@the_bread_code ow yeah, please do that, since it would finally make it possible to send bread to my family who I haven't seen for many months.

[@notrob4376]

@@the_bread_code This would be good! I was thinking of freezing then defrosting the the refrigerator before baking ;D

[@artvandelay1555]

Thanks for sharing your ups and downs with sourdough, that way i know i don't have to be perfect. I am half German and have a frugal nature. If only my government had one also. I have only made 4 sour dough loaves so am still in the curve. You have better results with a slightly lower temp. right? I forgot about the half baking hack. My local Trader Joe's sells baguettes that you finish baking at home. I never thought about doing this hack at home. I have a stone and put a pan in which i put cool water, but need to find a top cover. Getting some ear, but there is room for improvement. Zut. Pot is not good for a society. Been through the '70's.

[@isvico76]

Does you oven have a bottom heat-only setting? If so, then you could try to set it for the first 20 minutes when baking on the stone and you wouldn’t need to place the upper tray.

[@the_bread_code]

I think the upper tray helps with the bread condensing there. Then it goes into steam again, releasing some cold around the bread :-)

[@isvico76]

The Bread Code Yes, that makes sense! I will definitely try. Maybe I’m wrong, but I still think top heat doesn’t really help during the first 20 minutes, with or without tray. With heat coming only from the bottom, the crust takes longer to build and you get a better oven spring.

[@louisc7]

Hi Hendrik. Just a quick question regarding the stone technique . If i were to finish the bake until the end and not remove the loaf after the first half. Should i just remove the top and bottom(filled with water) trays and continue baking with heated elements function or should i switch to fan? Thanks in advance. Keep up the good work✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️

[@AuntDuddie]

I have an large old stone but I hear steel baking sheets are better. Do you have an opinion? My hubby likes crispy crusts, especially on pizza. Thanks!

[@the_bread_code]

The steel will get you a darker bottom :-). Or - bake the bread without the stone for the last 15 minutes, that should help as well :-)

[@AuntDuddie]

@@the_bread_code Thanks!

[@rightmay1974]

thank for sharing .... try to bake it on tile it is so effective in baking i live in US where it so pricey to get things like those in video

[@Jogaga3030]

Thanks for another informative video. I liked the half time hack. Do you think it can be frozen at that point too?

[@the_bread_code]

I think so! I still need to try :-D

[@JoXzor91]

Great video once again! But what kind of stone are you using and where did you buy it? :)

[@stevericci3308]

So you don't preheat the cast iron? It works fine putting at room temp?

[@HuggyBearHikes]

Have you ever tried baking on a pizza stone with a large steel bowl or pot covering the dough? Curious to see if this would work.

[@allaudler6752]

I bake bread exactly like this with big steel bawl over . The problem you can only make one at the time

[@rubenbasilio.g]

Hello! I'm overwhelmed! 😞 It is fabulous that you do so many experiments to show us everything that happens before all the variables that may arise when making our bread, however the basic process to make the sourdough starter (fermentation time, number of folds, times, the rest, the utensils, sourdough starter etc) have changed so much that when I want to go find one of your "definitive recipes" to make bread, many things and factors come out that in your latest videos you no longer use or carry out 😥 (For example, now you use the challenger, you no longer use flour or semolina in the benneton, sometimes you use parchment paper and other times not, etc, etc, etc ... It would be possible for you to make a new video where you show the moment since Do you start the whole process? (From the moment you do the sourdough starter and manage your times) It would be great if you made some kind of timeline, that way we could appreciate the "complete picture" of the complete process ..... pleaseeeeeee! 🙏🏼😅❗️ It would be great!

[@the_bread_code]

😂 😂 😂 🙏 sorry. I thought about this too. Use all my latest learnings in one condensed video.

[@xenofonps]

what about bake in a stone with a lid?

[@laineberning2578]

This is what I do. It makes a great bread.

[@the_bread_code]

Sounds great!

[@zoilinar]

14:15 that fricking "finishing the bake" song , everytime make me think i am suddenly watching a "beach in miami" video

[@gapey]

You need a bigger sample size to make sure it's not your shaping technique. :)

[@Rangefindergeneral]

I don't understand how you can ferment for so long, I use slightly less starter than you and if I was to do more than 4 hours bench fermentation my dough would be soup.. Kitchen temp 25°c

[@isabelab6851]

Yea this always a question for me

[@sweetlows1]

I'm curious if adding Citric Acid to the dough would cause the breads to break down faster? I've seen you test Ph before and was wondering if putting the extra acid in would cause the bread to get weaker quicker or would you be able to get similar results but with the extra tangy flavor from the citric acid.

[@robinlillian9471]

The purpose of adding citric acid is mostly just to delay mold growth. If you are making sourdough, the bread is already acid enough, and you probably don't need it.

[@the_bread_code]

Just like Robin said. Some large bakeries do it to get a similar taste to sourdough :-)

[@najirou]

Why didn’t you use parchment paper for stone? You can also use cutting board to flip bread and slide over the stone. I have no problem with this way and no gas release at all. Instead I had problem burned bottom with cast iron pot. Maybe I’ll try bake half way method. Thanks 😊

[@the_bread_code]

Great idea as well :-)

[@TV-mr3el]

This looks so scrumptious. I would like to eat it. 😊💐🤙🌷🌹💚🥰

[@blueboots170]

Really interesting experiment, thank you for testing and documenting this! Personally I much prefer a DO (I just use a cheap cast iron alternative to the Challenger), with a stone I always had bread with a very light underside. I have a question about your bake-later hack. I often bake my bread in the evening, but would like it to be fresh in the morning. If leaving it only overnight, would you still put it in the fridge and in a bag (it doesn't cool down entirely before I go to sleep usually)?

[@the_bread_code]

Yep that's my experience with a stone too. Baking it without the stone in the end seems to do the trick.

[@blueboots170]

@@the_bread_code Oops, looks you already replied before I finished my edit. :D (still would appreciate your feedback...)

[@arthurf8591]

Yeah, me too :3

[@zeideerskine3462]

Blonde baking is a great idea for always having fresh bread on hand. If you want to keep just one (hot) loaf overnight put it in a paper bag and leave it on the kitchen counter. Blonde baked loaves (including Brötchen) also freeze well.

[@Krzychukrk]

Hi Hendrik! Are you putting your Bread for the second baking to the preheated oven, or you heat with the Bread inside? ~20 mins in 200°C with a fan? Bread taken out from a fridge or in room temp? Hilfe 😉 got a half baked Bread now thinking how to finish this evening. Thank you!

[@the_bread_code]

I don't even preheat :-). Just directly 15-20 minutes at 200°C with the fan :-)

[@Krzychukrk]

@@the_bread_code thanks mate! It worked also with preheated oven. Great hack!

[@dominiksteiger161]

Great looking bread, both of them! One question: Why do you change the setting from fan to upper/lower heat when you put the loaf into the oven? Does that make a difference?

[@the_bread_code]

Great question. Yep. The fan will just remove the steam from the oven faster. I want to delay that as long as possible.

[@dominiksteiger161]

@@the_bread_code makes sense 😊 thanks for the reply

[@pieterjdw]

Nice experiment. Any recommendation settings for a Siemens steam oven?

[@the_bread_code]

Yep. Make sure to regardless have another tray on top of the dough while baking. That does wonders!

[@kaclark9696]

I LOVE my Challenger, no mess, no fuss.

[@martinvo7369]

Hi Hendrik! Again a very helpfull video! A question to the parbaking: you baked the bread approximately 75% of the time until done. Is this kind of the golden rule for parbaking?

[@the_bread_code]

Great question. The trick is to measure the core temperature. It should be around 92°C at least. Once you have it, your bread is done :-).

[@soleboxy]

a good comparison could be a steel and a dutch oven since it factors out the material (metal is more conductive so that might be the change you saw on the bottom)

[@katalinaj3450]

I am sorry if you have already covered this, but how do you finish baking the bread off the freezer? Do you defrost first with ????? then turn the heat up to 230 C and bake another 20 mins? But the temperature of the bread is frozen or cold now, so logically, it will be much longer to bake to finish. Woudln't the crust be too dark?

[@the_bread_code]

Sorry. It has been in the fridge, not in the freezer :-)

[@katalinaj3450]

@@the_bread_code how often do u feed those u don’t use?

[@katalinaj3450]

To be precise; I gave 300 gm of starter in the jar in the fridge. Some people feed twice a day n some once a day. I wonder how often is Yrs? I tried to keep up but finally could not due to travel n daily feed without using is quite sth if u have 300 gm to stat

[@aliyah9254]

preferring semolina over rice flour for banneton dusting these days?

[@betterweather4891]

HI, with the saving the bread later hack, after baking the bread to the halfway mark, did you put the bread in the freezer or fridge?

[@irinakempf2576]

Thanks for the great video! Purchased a challenger with your affiliate link ;) I was wondering what thermometer you use exactly and how it is installed in the oven (Is it a iGrill2 with the regular Fleischtemperaturfühler, or does it require a Umgebungstemperaturfühler?). Our oven is definitely not reliable when it comes to heat so we want to buy a thermometer to keep track of it, as you suggested. Best from Switzerland :)

[@the_bread_code]

Thanks Irina! Yep - it's the regular iGrill2. I just place it inside of the dutch oven :-). The bread pan will help to have more consistent results!

[@irinakempf2576]

@@the_bread_code Thank you so much! Consistency is what we are working on now, your videos have been a huge help. As a 100% scientist household we (1swiss, 1 german) appreciate your methodic approach a lot :D

[@wesfree]

The Dutch Oven is superior, but your observation about the ability to bake multiple loaves (on a stone) is well taken. After a large number of experiments of my own, I found that placing my dough in a large ramekin (glazed ceramic bowl - pre-prepared with either brown rice flour or corn meal) INSIDE of the Dutch oven produces superior results. Why? The extreme heat of the steel dutch oven bottom is separated from the dough. In addition, the ramekin provides a bit of support to the sides of the dough, producing a greater oven-spring! Try it! Cheers, @wesfree

[@jokari69]

I think the sticking is caused by the spritzed water that infuses with starch and drips down to the stone or cast-iron ad acts as a glue. I would recommend you to avoid using the spritzing method if you want your breads to stop sticking.

[@SherwoodTaz]

How do you get your final product to have such a shine to it? If I spritz in the Challenger I don't get your level of shine. Thanks for the video.

[@SherwoodTaz]

btw your half-baked method is a game-changer for me. My family can't eat two loaves in time before the second goes stale.

[@the_bread_code]

Great question. I think it might be the fermentation. An autolyse helps there. It breaks down the flour into sugars. The sugars cause the nice browning in the end. Just a thought. Hope that might work for you 👍

[@lindawilson3071]

Another question when exactly do you think the blisters are formed. I don’t get as many blisters and I do spray the dough. I bake almost intirely in the Dutch oven I don’t take the lid of I don’t like it too dark. Surprisingly it does get darker than I would think.

[@jean-sebastienbaril9227]

Hello. When I use my pizza stone (which is 5/8 inch thick) to cook bread, I preheat the oven an hour before cooking to let the stone absorbe all the heat from the oven.

[@lindawilson3071]

I’m watching I would like u to say instead of this one or that one say the Dutch oven one or the oven stone one because I get mixed up which is which. I also would like you to say Fahrenheit also. I follow all your videos that would help a great deal. Thankyou😊

[@the_bread_code]

Thank you! I typically add the Fahrheit in the video now. When saying it, I sometimes don't know what it is 🤣

[@LetitBrew]

So the 2nd bake is aldo at 230 C? And hows the soir flavor, is it there?