good morning! it's time to bake 🍞

#breadwithme part 8

(part 7 and before quoted below)

Start the day by warming up the oven to 450F with the top and bottom of the Lodge combo cooker inside. We have a convection oven that is pretty accurate. Using an oven thermometer to check the actual temp of the oven is crucial.

After it's heated, I let it go for a few minutes longer to make sure the pan gets to temp also. In the meantime, breakfast! Today I'm having a cup of hot tea and a slice of toast with peanut butter. Good thing I'm making this loaf cuz we're down to the last slice.

I take the loaf out of the fridge and give it a poke to check fermentation. If the poke comes back and fills to about half gently, then the loaf is well proved and ready to bake.

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I take the hot cast irons out and plop the dough seam side down on the pan. I give it a quick slice down the middle to score it and throw an ice cube in to generate some additional steam and cover it back up quickly.

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back into the oven it goes! I set the timer for 20 minutes. we're almost there!

-time passes-

I guess I'm a slow eater and writer because the oven timer just went off. This part is easy, I take the top off the combo cooker and stick it back in there for another 18 minutes to brown the crust. right now the bread is shiny and pale which tells me the crust has gelatinized and we're on our way to a crusty bread 🤤

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Bread will be done soon!#breadstr