Steam

Unless otherwise stated, the Real Breads in this book will benefit from steam in the first 5–10 minutes of baking. Steam turns the outer surface of the dough into a flexible gel, which allows it to expand more easily than if a dry crust starts forming straight away. Later in the dry heat stage of baking this gel sets to form a shiny, and in some cases crackly, crust.

In a fully-loaded traditional bread oven, steam is generated by evaporation from the dough and many professional bread ovens allow the baker to inject steam. At home it can be a struggle as domestic ovens are rarely airtight and may even have a fan to extract the steamy air. Still, you can give it a go by putting a tray in the bottom of the oven and pouring a small amount of boiling water from the kettle into it shortly before loading the dough in. Some bakers suggest squirting a mist of water into the oven immediately before you close the door. Try one of those trigger spray bottles you can buy in garden centres – a new one, not one that’s been used for plant food or pesticide . . .