Baking Stone; Pizza Stone; Quarry Tiles; Unglazed Quarry Tiles

The porous unglazed clay of a baking stone or a pizza stone gives the bottom surface of oven-baked breads a great crust. Unglazed quarry tiles, laid on a rack in your oven with a 1- to 2-inch space between the edge of the tiles and the oven wall (to allow hot air to circulate), are another option. Place the stone or tiles in the oven before you preheat it for baking. Allow an extra 10 minutes after the oven has reached temperature for the stone or tiles to get completely heated through before you start baking.