No knead bread in a Romertopf clay baker

[FlyingChopstik]

Ive been reading numerous articles, blogs, etc where people mention that they use a Romertopf for baking breads, including the no knead bread. I am still a bit confused because there are mixed commentary on whether to soak or not to soak prior to popping the baker into a cold oven.

Can anyone who owns a Romertopf and uses it for no knead share your method for no knead and whether you soak it or just preheat? I would like to make an enlongated version of this bread and have made an ok circular bread with my chamba pot. The Romertopf that I own is unglazed and its the medium size that can hold a whole chicken. (111) i think.

[Lisa Shock]

I have baked in similar unglazed cookware, it was from a company that made unglazed posts in shapes specifically for bread. The instructions for their pots had you butter the inside, dust with cornmeal, then soak. Now, this wasn't for no-knead, it was for regular loaves. (you could stop buttering after a few bakes, when it was seasoned)

 

I'd be afraid of the bread sticking if there isn't some sort of layer of fat involved -or parchment paper. If you've baked a lot of chickens in it previously, it should have a seasoned fat coating. If it's new, I'd be careful.

[cyalexa]

I have never soaked nor seasoned my unglazed cloche. As mentioned by Lisa, above, it is made for bread-baking and I don't know if it is different in some way from the Romertopf or the product she uses. Occasionally a bit of a raisin or chocolate chip will stick to my cloche bottom but I have never had the loaf stick. 

[CatPoet]

I have used a romertopf  for bread and yes in need to be soaked first and then oiled or it sticks.  It isnt a  no knead bread but a  cornloaf and well the recipe must have  been off since the bread became as big as the pot and not on a positive way.

[FlyingChopstik]

Thanks for the feedback. I think i will definitely use parchment paper to avoid the dough sticking. For no knead bread the recipe requires that the pot is preheated so i guess you are to soak the pot and then preheat it?

[AlaMoi]

I do the basic no-knead in multiple ways.

 

the classic "in a pot" - heavy stainless interior, pre-heated, covered then uncovered.

once I did it without pre-heating the pot; the bread came out in very small chunks - it glued itself to bottom&sides.

 

the dough is sufficient high-hydration I get a crackle crust in the stainless pot - which does not emit any steam/moisture.

 

I also do crusty rolls - 80 gram chunks of the dough - directly onto a preheated ceramic pizza stone, covered with a big stainless bowl for half the bake time

 

also do a big round 'peasant loaf' directly on the preheated pizza stone covered with a ... (see above)

 

never had a sticking issue on the pre-heated pizza stone; I'd guess that should carry over to a preheated romtertopf.

[Anna N]

Thanks for the feedback. I think i will definitely use parchment paper to avoid the dough sticking. For no knead bread the recipe requires that the pot is preheated so i guess you are to soak the pot and then preheat it?

I did it again just the other day. I did not soak the Romertopf but did grease it lightly with shortening and put a small piece of parchment on the bottom. I did not pre-heat but placed the dough into the cold pot for its final rise then into a cold oven. I set the temperature for 450°F. I removed the lid after 30 minutes and continue baking until I was satisfied with the colour of the crust. I made two small loaves. One in the Romertopf and one in an enameled cast iron casserole. There was little to choose between the finished breads.

[FlyingChopstik]

Wow this is good to know. I will try this and let you know how this turns out! I have a pizza stone too so i might try the rolls and stainless steel boel method. Thanks!

[Bart]

I've used clay bakers for my breads exclusively for a couple years now and have never had any problems with "stickage". I use the no-knead method and put the wet dough (after it's been proofed for at least 18 hours) straight into the cold clay bakers. No foil, no oil, no soaking, no butter, no parchment. Just dough against clay. Set oven to 450* for about 35 minutes, then remove the top of the clay baker and continue to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until nicely browned. The results are perfect every time (IMO anyway.)

 

Tried to post picture but it's not displaying...

Edited April 30, 2015 by Bart (log)

[Bart]

Thanks Smithy!

 

 

[Smithy]

That looks very pretty, Bart!