I gave this note an attention getting title for a reason. This method of
creating steam in a home oven is not for the fainthearted. It comes with
safety warnings and legal disclaimers. Burn this note before reading, etc.
I originally read of this method several year ago on one of the USENET
baking groups, posted by a regular contributor who reported on his
experiments as he went along. One must handle a very hot, heavy cast iron
pan and a cup of boiling water. If you're not up this, don't try
it. Putting the two together in an oven creates a steam explosion that
boils off 3/4 cup of the water in less then a minute, the full cup in less
than 3 or 4 minutes. It takes preparation, concentration and an
elimination of distractions (like children playing in the kitchen, etc.)
I have used this method in two ovens, a mid-range Jenn-Air and a high-end
Gaggenau. Both have oven lamps and glass windows in the door. I have
never popped a oven lampcover or done any damage to either oven that I know
of. Your oven may react differently. The originator claimed that he once
popped the glass lamp cover in his oven. It also helps to have access to
the oven vent to seal it off temporarily. This was easy on the Jenn-Air,
impossible on the Gaggenau. You will probably decide that getting a thick
chewy crust on a loaf of bread isn't worth it. You are probably right.
Equipment required: a heavy cast iron pan (mine is 12" diameter by 1.5"
deep), a very good quality oven mitt, a pyrex 1 cup liquid measure. In the
Jenn-Air the cast iron pan fit on the floor between the heating elements
and below the rack with the baking tiles. In the Gaggenau it sits on a
rack well above the baking stone. This is not as nice an arrangement but
it works.
Oven and baking stone should be fully preheated to 50 deg higher than
baking temperature before starting the Timeline below.
Timeline: time before bread goes in the oven
T-7 minutes: Clear the kitchen of all distractions (kids, amorous spouses)
and turn off the TV. Place the cast iron pan on the biggest burner on the
stove, leave off. Fill a microwaveable measuring cup with 1 cup of tap
water and place it in the microwave, leave off. Place the oven mitt near
the cast iron pan. Dampen a towel or wash cloth.
T-5 minutes: Set the burner under the cast iron pan to max heat.
T-2 minutes: Start the microwave and bring the cup of water to a
boil. Prepare the bread (remove from proofing container, set on peel.)
T-30 sec: Slash loaves. Turn the oven off, seal the vent with a damp cloth.
Liftoff: Open the oven door, slide the loaves onto the baking stone. Turn
off the stove, PUT ON THE MITT, place the VERY HOT cast iron pan in its
place in the oven. WHILE STANDING TO THE SIDE OF THE OVEN, pour the cup of
boiling water into the pan and close the door immediately. This all should
take no more than 20 seconds.
The initial surge of steam evaporates 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the water. The pan
loses heat quickly because it is being used to create the steam. After 30
seconds there may only be a 1/4 cup left.
T+4 minutes: The steam has done its work. The pan should be dry. If not,
you may have to adjust the timeline to allow the pan more time on the
stove. Remove the vent seal, turn the oven on and set to the correct
baking temperature.
It is useful to practice loading the oven with cold equipment a few
times. You may want to wear a long sleeve shirt and long pants and eye
protection the first few times until you see how the steam acts. And yes,
you will likely have to mop up the floor around oven. Oven doors are not
steam proof.
There are two things happening during the steaming process. The skin is
kept moist and remains soft enough to allow the loaf to rise fully,
lightening the crumb. This could be done by just misting the loaves with
water directly before putting them in the oven. If this were the only
issue, steam wouldn't be required. Once steam forms in the oven it remains
steam until it touches a cool object. The only cool object in the oven is
the bread. The steam condenses on the loaves and boils the skin (like a
bagel in boiling water, only hotter). This is why you need a lot of
steam. This steam-boiled skin then bakes and eventually becomes a thick
chewy crust. If you look through the oven window about 2 minutes into the
bake the loaves look like they are covered with a white gelcoat or an
aspic. They glisten. Bake a couple of baguettes and sacrifice one about 2
or 3 minutes into the bake. Remove it from the oven (watch out for the
escaping steam) and touch the skin; it will be coated with a thick sticky
goo, basically boiled dough (pasta?). Cut through the loaf and it will
look like dough painted with a thick white paint.
Please be careful. Treat the timeline like a military drill and don't get
distracted. Touching the cast iron pan's handle without a glove will
likely leave permanent scars, steam burns are also very serious. You
didn't hear about this from me!
Anonymous <g>