All the clay bakers we offer have excellent thermal properties which makes them highly resistant to cracking from thermal shock (over the years, we’ve weeded out problematic bakers). However, here are a few easy to avoid things that might not be so clay baker friendly…
- When removing the hot baker from the oven after baking, place it on a stove top, cooling rack or folded towel rather than directly on a cold countertop.
- Avoid spilling or spraying liquids on an already hot baker. There is no need for this anyway. One of the main advantages of the covered baker is that it holds the steam from the baking dough in close proximity to the dough while baking to give it a naturally superior crust.
- Don’t place frozen items on the baker base while it’s hot.
Washing the Baker
If you are only using your baker for baking bread, there is no need to wash it. The high baking temperatures will automatically bake off excess dough.
If you do wash it, hand wash with warm water and use a nylon scouring pad. Do not use soap on the unglazed surfaces. Allow it to air dry thoroughly before baking with it.
Some manufacturers recommend soaking ceramic bakers prior to use. We don’t. Again, there is enough steam released from the baking dough or other foods to give optimum results.
Using the Baker
It is your choice whether to preheat your baker prior to placing the dough inside (while wearing protective oven gloves) or to bake using the “cold start” method. Feel free to experiment with both methods to find your preference.
Preheating your baker will more accurately simulate the baking results obtained in a wood fired oven. A wood fired oven is brought up to baking temperature and then the bread is placed inside to bake, resulting in excellent oven spring and crust development. Another advantage of fully preheating your baker prior to placing the dough inside is that the dough is less likely to stick to it.
Some people experience a stuck loaf the first time they use the baker, even with a full preheat of the clay, so we recommend you use your baker 2 to 3 times with either parchment paper or a sprinkling of cornmeal or flour between the dough and the hot baker. After this “seasoning” period, you can load the dough directly into the preheated baker. The video above and these scoring videos show how to set up your parchment paper and dough.
The cold start method simply involves placing your bread dough in your baker while it’s at room temperature and then placing the baker in the oven and turning on the heat. This will lengthen the baking time and will also likely result in the dough sticking unless you put a piece of parchment paper between the baker and the dough as shown in the video above and these scoring videos.
If your stiff parchment paper dents the sides of the bread as it bakes, you can prevent this by crushing the piece of parchment paper in your hands and then smoothing it out before flipping the dough onto it. The paper will now accommodate to the shape of your dough rather than poke into it.
Here are instructions on how to remove stuck bread and clean your baker.