Baking Bread

Yeast bread is sensitive to the environment in which it is baked. Brick ovens are said to produce the best bread: bread stones can be used in a domestic oven to achieve a similar effect at home. The shaped loaves are slid on to the stone from a paddle or baking sheet that has been dusted with flour or cornmeal to prevent sticking. A steamy heat develops the best crust, achieved by placing a shallow pan of boiling water in the oven with the bread. (To create a blanket of steam, drop a heated object, like a pot lid, into the water the moment you place the bread in the oven.) Alternatively, once it has started to brown, the loaf can be sprayed with water from an atomizer, or a handful of ice cubes can be tossed on the floor of the oven. (Commercial baking ovens are equipped with steam jets.)