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getting steam in the oven

Dave Glaze <daveglaze@shaw.ca>
Sun, 10 Jul 2005 19:02:45 -0700
v105.n030.2
Steve

I use a pan on the bottom shelf of an electric oven.  I also have 
thin firebricks(I think they are called splits)on the middle shelf 
and quarry tiles on the highest shelf. Then I have splits in a 
broiler pan on the lowest shelf. My oven temperature is set to 25 to 
50 F above where I want it.  I throw a cup of boiling water into the 
pan just before or just after putting the bread in.  Then sometimes I 
add another cup of boiling water 3 minutes later if I am baking a 
large loaf that is going to take longer.  I turn the heat down to the 
required temperature. There is never any water in the pan at the end 
of baking, and I am sure it is gone well before the end of baking.  I 
have a vent in the top of the oven that allows steam to escape.  The 
bricks help maintain the heat in the oven when I open the door to put 
water and bread in.  A word of warning though; you can overdo the 
oven heat and cause a fire by adding too much mass so check the walls 
of the oven for temperature.  My oven is a self clean and has lots of 
insulation.  You can leave your oven door open for the last 5 minutes 
or so of baking to dry out the bread it you think it is too 
moist.  Feel free to contact me if you need any more information.

Cheers
Dave