1 files changed, 77 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/02-17-baking.md b/02-17-baking.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..10ba4ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/02-17-baking.md
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+#### Baking
+
+For breads that contain butter and sweeteners, I usually bake them at
+350 degrees F for about 55 minutes to an hour for loaves, and 25 to 30
+minutes for rolls.
+
+For “lean” breads, which contain only the basic four ingredients, I
+bake them at 450 degrees F. Baguettes and rolls bake for about 20 – 25
+minutes, while most other loaves bake for 35 to 45 minutes.
+
+An instant read thermometer is a big help in telling when a loaf is
+done. Stick the thermometer into the bottom of the loaf and push until
+the tip is in the center of the bread. Breads with butter and
+sweeteners are done at about 195 degrees F, while lean loaves should
+be at about 205 degrees F.
+
+For lean breads that are freeform (i.e. not panned), I like to use a
+baking stone to get better volume and a crisper crust, though you
+don’t need one – a greased cookie sheet will work just fine. If you
+use a stone, it needs to pre-heat for at least 45 minutes before
+baking. When you place the dough on the hot stone, it absorbs a lot of
+heat very quickly, causing it to spring beautifully in the oven.
+
+You can purchase these at most cooking stores or online for anywhere
+from $30 to $70, depending on the size and thickness. Mine is one-half
+inch thick and measures 14.5” by 16”. It’s plenty big enough and works
+great.
+
+If you’re feeling frugal, many people I know prefer to use unglazed
+quarry tiles, which can sometimes be had from home supply stores for
+much less than a baking stone. I haven’t used them, myself, though.
+
+To get the bread onto the stone, either use a baker’s peel or the back
+of a cookie sheet that has been well dusted with cornmeal or semolina
+flour. Then, slide the bread off its back and onto the stone with a
+quick jerk.
+
+**Steaming:** A crackling, crunchy crust requires more than just a hot
+oven. It also needs steam, and that’s not easy to do in a home oven.
+But it can be done. Here are a couple of methods:
+
+* The Cast Iron Pan Method: Under the stone, even on the bottom of the
+  oven, if you like, place a cast iron pan and let it heat up along
+  with the stone. Not one you like to use day-to-day, because this
+  process will rip the seasoning right off.
+
+Just before you put the bread in the oven, boil some water. Get a
+towel and, after you open the oven door, cover the glass of the oven
+door with the towel. This will prevent water droplets from hitting the
+hot glass and shattering it (ask me how I know.) You may also want to
+shield the front of the pan with aluminum foil so that droplets don’t
+jump out of the pan onto the glass and crack it (again, ask me how I
+know).
+
+Load the bread and dump one cup of boiling water in the pan. WEAR
+MITTS WHEN YOU DO THIS. Close the oven door, and let it bake. About
+halfway through the bake, remove the pan so that the bread can finish
+in a dry oven.
+
+* Covered Cooker Method: In this method, do not use a baking stone.
+  Instead, place a cast-iron Dutch oven (enameled and non-enameled
+  both work fine) or a clay cloche (Sassafras makes a good one – you
+  can find them at Amazon or King Arthur Flour for about $50) in the
+  oven and let it heat up for 45 minutes. Pull out the oven rack, take
+  off the lid, plop your bread into the bottom, score it quickly and
+  replace the top and the rack.
+
+About 15 to 20 minutes before the bake is done, remove the top so that
+the bread can finish in a dry oven.
+
+The covered cooker captures the steam given off by the dough, and so
+mimics a wood-fired brick oven. Unfortunately, this method only works
+for round loaves (though Sassafras also makes a 14 ½ x 5 ⅛ inch
+clay cooker which works for batards).
+
+Breads should cool for about an hour on a rack (or something else that
+will allow air to circulate underneath) before slicing.