Baking

One of the most important elements in baking fine artisanal breads is steam. It is used to moisten the surface of the dough just as the bread enters the hot oven so that the bread can expand fully as it bakes. Steam is effective only during the first 2 to 3 minutes of the bake, so the oven must be filled with steam the moment the bread is placed in the oven. One of the difficulties that home bakers face when attempting to make artisanal breads is the lack of an oven that produces steam. We have devised a method for creating steam in a home oven that we feel does a good job of replicating the work of the excellent commercial bread ovens used at The French Culinary Institute.