Baking in a stoneware cloche

[Cecile M]

I just received a stoneware cloche and the instructions with it are minimal. Can anyone give me some instruction on how to use it for baking bread (preheat or not preheat) and using it for chicken, fish.

Cecile

[tino27]

I can't speak to the chicken or fish issue, but as for the bread, DEFINITELY pre-heat. The whole point of a cloche is that you have completely surrounded the dough with a evenly radiating material.

And make sure you start the cloche in a cold oven. I'm assuming yours is earthenware. If you were to put the cold cloche in a hot oven, the temperature differential could crack it.

[Cecile M]

Thanks very much for the information. I assume then that all rising is done before the bread goes into the cloche to be baked.

I can't speak to the chicken or fish issue, but as for the bread, DEFINITELY pre-heat. The whole point of a cloche is that you have completely surrounded the dough with a evenly radiating material.

And make sure you start the cloche in a cold oven. I'm assuming yours is earthenware. If you were to put the cold cloche in a hot oven, the temperature differential could crack it.

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[tino27]

Yes, you would put your fully proofed bread into the heated cloche.

[Cecile M]

Thanks again. Two additional questions: Are you able to transfer the fully proofed dough to the heated cloche without deflating the dough; and 2) have you tried putting your dough into the cloche for the final rise and then putting the cloche with dough into the cold oven to be warmed and baked?

Thanks very much for the information.  I assume then that all rising is done before the bread goes into the cloche to be baked.

I can't speak to the chicken or fish issue, but as for the bread, DEFINITELY pre-heat. The whole point of a cloche is that you have completely surrounded the dough with a evenly radiating material.

And make sure you start the cloche in a cold oven. I'm assuming yours is earthenware. If you were to put the cold cloche in a hot oven, the temperature differential could crack it.

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[tino27]

In general, using a cloche to cook bread isn't really that much different than just using a pizza stone in your oven. You'd still transfer the dough using a pizza peel. If you have an extremely delicate bread, you might want to do your final proof directly on the peel (with some course corn meal or flour between the dough and the peel). I normally proof my free-form breads seam side up on a heavily floured towel and then flip onto a floured peel to get them into the oven.

I have never tried putting fully proofed bread into a cold cloche/oven and then heating it, but my gut instinct says that this wouldn't work how you are hoping it will.

[Cecile M]

Thanks very much. I really do appreciate the information you've given me.

quote=Cecile M,Dec 26 2006, 02:40 PM]

Thanks again. Two additional questions: Are you able to transfer the fully proofed dough to the heated cloche without deflating the dough; and 2) have you tried putting your dough into the cloche for the final rise and then putting the cloche with dough into the cold oven to be warmed and baked?

Thanks very much for the information.  I assume then that all rising is done before the bread goes into the cloche to be baked.

I can't speak to the chicken or fish issue, but as for the bread, DEFINITELY pre-heat. The whole point of a cloche is that you have completely surrounded the dough with a evenly radiating material.

And make sure you start the cloche in a cold oven. I'm assuming yours is earthenware. If you were to put the cold cloche in a hot oven, the temperature differential could crack it.

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