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Re: Question on using unglazed clay tiles

"Mike Avery" <mavery@mail.otherwhen.com>
Sat, 21 Sep 2002 08:39:22 -0600
v102.n044.7
On 14 Sep 2002, "Joshi, Anjali" <AJoshi@Bigfoot.com> wrote:

 > Hello everyone. My baking stone had cracked badly, and so I went out
 > and bought a few inexpensive unglazed clay tiles from the home
 > improvement store. (that was thanks to a suggestion from a few people
 > on the list). They worked well, did not crack, but the food stuck to
 > the tiles too much and did not scrape off easily. (I remember someone
 > had also suggested using fireplace tiles, but since the fireplace
 > store was some distance away, I tried the Home Depot first.)

 > Can anyone help me with ideas on what might have gone wrong? This how
 > I baked with them: 1. Soaked the tiles in cold water for 3-4 hours. 2.
 > Set them in a cold oven and then turned the oven on. 3. Once the
 > correct temp was reached, I used a peel to put the food (in this case,
 > pizza and mini-calzones) on the tiles, baked as usual.

 > All suggestions welcome :-)

I have never soaked my tiles, and see no reason to do so.  I can't believe 
it to be helpful.  I add moisture to my oven by having a metal pie pan on 
the bottom of the oven and pouring a cup or so of hot water in the pan as I 
close the oven door.

Also, I use cornmeal (though others use semolina, wheat, or even tapicoa) 
to lubricate my peel.  I suspect this prevents sticking on the tiles also.

As to tile handling, I washed them before the first time I used them, and 
have left them in my oven ever since.  About the only time they come out is 
when I am in a hurry to bake something that doesn't benefit from the 
tiles.  Such as frozen fish sticks.  The tiles more than double the time it 
takes the oven to warm up, so I do pull them out.

I usually use a whisk broom or shop-vac to remove the accumulated 
cornmeal.  Sometimes, if I've baked something that has boiled over onto the 
tiles, I'll wash them again.

But I've had no sticking problems.  If your problem continues after you 
clean your tiles (and stop soaking them) and have a 45 minute to an hour 
pre-heat, I'd suggest using baker's parchment.  Or replacing the tiles.

Mike
-- 
Mike Avery
MAvery@mail.otherwhen.com
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Phone: 970-642-0282