What do you bake your bread in?

[moonlightinvt]

Hi. I am a totally beginner bread maker here. I just started a sourdough culture (thanks to the sourdough thread here) and now am wondering what is best to bake the bread in.

In case this makes a difference, I have an electric oven with a convection bake option.

I threw out my teflon loaf pans a few years ago and only have a glass one right now which the sides are kinda low on. I have no idea if this would work for bread (great for meatloaf, though).

So, what do you all recommend? Is stoneware a good option...? Any brands in particular that you like...?

Thanks! OOOOOO, I can't wait for the bubblies to appear in my starter...this is so exciting!

[425lisamarie]

I am a die hard All clad fan. It's expensive but worth it. Also I like what I buy from Williams Sonoma.

MMmmmmm sourdough. I bake at least 2 loaves a week.

ETA: I really love a rustic loaf right on a stone in the oven. I put a pan of boiling water under it and spray after 5 minutes to keep the loaf very soft. I have a beautiful double convect oven DH bought me

[Taedareth]

Pyrex bread pans.

[kdmama33]

I'm not a big fan of glass pans for bread baking -- IME, it sticks like mad and doesn't bake evenly. Personally, I use glass for things like meatloaf, as you mentioned, and I use baking stone bread pans for bread baking. I also use a big Le Creuset casserole/dutch oven for bread baking.

[JanB]

We have two loaf pans that I'll use when I don't feel like being fancy. One is glass and one is metal. The metal one creates a much nicer, browner crust, but the glass one has deeper sides, so there's a tradeoff there.

We have a baking stone, and sometimes I'll just form the bread into a boule shape and bake it directly on the stone.

Something else that works very well is if you have a metal mixing bowl, you can bake the bread directly in it, and it forms this lovely bowl shape. I brought a loaf baked like this to a preschool parents' meeting once, and everyone asked me what bakery I got it from.

[Teakafrog]

Originally Posted by JanB

We have a baking stone, and sometimes I'll just form the bread into a boule shape and bake it directly on the stone.

That's what I've been doing with my sourdough loaves. Right on the pizza stone. Comes out nice and crusty!

[estuary]

I used to use metal loaf pans, when I was making the regular two-rise types of loaves. Now I've switched lately to that no-knead recipe that's floating around (mix flour, water, salt & yeast or sourdough, let rise for about 18-22 hours with a few turns in there and then bake)... this recipe calls for baking the loaf in a cast-iron dutch oven type pan. Loaves turn out round. Since I already had this pan I liked that I didn't have to go buy something (like a baking stone or heavier bread pans or...)

[memory maker]

I use pampered chef loaf pans for mine. they are great

[moonlightinvt]

Great ideas...and a variety at that. Looks like I will have to buy something, though I may try my first loaf this weekend in a stainless mixing bowl which I DO have.

I will probably look for a couple stainless (all-clad) pans to start with, however, I REALLY like the pizza stone and dutch oven ideas. I picked up a pizza stone at a yard sale years ago but can't find it (still packed away somewhere in the basement I think). I will have to look harder--a rustic loaf always looks so yummy and, well...rustic

Thanks all for the advice!

[Seeking Refuge]

I use baking stones for all my baking. I absolutely love them. I can show you and experiment if you would like. If you go to my blog and look at my photos there is one of a whole bunch of baked goods on the counter. Those two loaves of bread are from the same batch of bread and were exactly the same size. The only difference is that the taller one was baked in my stonewear loaf pan while the other was baked in a normal metal pan. (my other loaf pan is gone and I have to make two loafs at a time)

It makes a huge difference in the texture and quality of my bread.

[425lisamarie]

Originally Posted by Seeking Refuge

I use baking stones for all my baking. I absolutely love them. I can show you and experiment if you would like. If you go to my blog and look at my photos there is one of a whole bunch of baked goods on the counter. Those two loaves of bread are from the same batch of bread and were exactly the same size. The only difference is that the taller one was baked in my stonewear loaf pan while the other was baked in a normal metal pan. (my other loaf pan is gone and I have to make two loafs at a time)

It makes a huge difference in the texture and quality of my bread.

So when you say you use a baking stone, do you mean a baking stone bread pan? Like a pan made of stone? I was confused:

I have used stonWARE pans, and a stone for free form loaves, but I do like the pan because it's better for sandwich bread

[Seeking Refuge]

Originally Posted by 425lisamarie

So when you say you use a baking stone, do you mean a baking stone bread pan? Like a pan made of stone? I was confused:

I have used stonWARE pans, and a stone for free form loaves, but I do like the pan because it's better for sandwich bread

Yes it is a stone loaf pan, Pampered Chef sells them. I love mine in an unnatural way. :

[NCHIN]

I second or third the Pampered Chef Loaf pans. They are GREAT! I found my first one at the thrift store and then I bought another one from a rep.

I just tried the No Knead bread and I used my Le Creuset pot and it was

[AppleOrangePear]

I also cant wait to start my bread soon. I just had a Pampered CHef party and for the month of FEB i got 2 stonewares for 60% off YIPPEE! My one friend uses the PC mini loaf pan that makes 4 even more then the reg stone. Seriously if you are intersted the PC consultant still hasnt closed my order so you could also get the 20% off stoneware just PM and let me know as hopefulyl she is closing this soon so i can start my bread

One of my DHs accounts wife has a starter that is 25 yrs old. Im hoping to get some of that

Michele

[moonlightinvt]

I was looking at some Pampered Chef stoneware loaf pans on ebay last night. Most hover around $14 (total, includes shipping). Does that sound reasonable? How much are they brand new from a rep?

[akoik]

Memory Maker -
The Pampered Chef loaf pans ARE great, but I've found them to be larger than the average loaf pan, so my loaves don't get very tall (they spread and end up really short). Do you adjust your recipes for this? Or do short loaves not bother you? I'm really trying to make some sandwich type bread.

[Periwinkle]

Ceramic pie dishes for now (e.g., Emile Henry, and an old one my mom gave me). I need some good ideas here. My dream is to find some sort of ceramic or earthenware pot that has sides that curve OUTWARD to allow a boule shape to form. My breads now look like squished muffins because the very bottom 1-2" are straight up and down and then the top sort of muffins out over the top a little.

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