Comments on: Cook’s Illustrated Almost No Knead http://www.breadtopia.com Bread Baking Instructional Videos and Baking Supplies. Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:38:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Richard R. Witt http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/comment-page-9/#comment-42699 Richard R. Witt Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:01:59 +0000 http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/#comment-42699 Madelyn Eric's recipe calls for a 425 deg. pre-heat. Then place the room-temp pyrex bread pan with the risen dough in the oven, then reduce the heat to 350 deg for 55 min. If your top crust is beginning to get too dark before the bread reaches an internal temp of 200 deg, cover the crust with aluminum foil. Rich Madelyn

Eric’s recipe calls for a 425 deg. pre-heat. Then place the room-temp pyrex bread pan with the risen dough in the oven, then reduce the heat to 350 deg for 55 min. If your top crust is beginning to get too dark before the bread reaches an internal temp of 200 deg, cover the crust with aluminum foil.

Rich

]]> By: Madelyn http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/comment-page-9/#comment-42683 Madelyn Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:47:30 +0000 http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/#comment-42683 Thanks. This is very helpful. So the final rise is done in the pyrex and put it in a hot or cold oven? Thanks. This is very helpful. So the final rise is done in the pyrex and put it in a hot or cold oven?

]]> By: Richard R. Witt http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/comment-page-9/#comment-42667 Richard R. Witt Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:07:42 +0000 http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/#comment-42667 I have used a pyrex "bread pan" to bake Eric's ANK sandwich loaf. I followed Eric's video instructions to the letter, but my loaf used all-white bread flour instead of the 1/3 whole wheat that the recipe called for. The pyrex baking pan was at room temp for the final rise. The resultant loaf was perfect. I may have posted a picture of it here somewhere, like maybe late 2008. I normally use the le Cloche oblong clay baker, and get a longer but smaller cross-section loaf, but for sandwiches. Where the pyrex loaf made a slice that was large enough for one sandwich that was sufficent, I make two sandwiches of the the clay baker loaf, The crust from the clay baker has a more crispy/chewy crust than does the pyrex baked loaf. Rich I have used a pyrex “bread pan” to bake Eric’s ANK sandwich loaf. I followed Eric’s video instructions to the letter, but my loaf used all-white bread flour instead of the 1/3 whole wheat that the recipe called for.

The pyrex baking pan was at room temp for the final rise.

The resultant loaf was perfect. I may have posted a picture of it here somewhere, like maybe late 2008.

I normally use the le Cloche oblong clay baker, and get a longer but smaller cross-section loaf, but for sandwiches. Where the pyrex loaf made a slice that was large enough for one sandwich that was sufficent, I make two sandwiches of the the clay baker loaf,

The crust from the clay baker has a more crispy/chewy crust than does the pyrex baked loaf.

Rich

]]> By: Madelyn http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/comment-page-9/#comment-42664 Madelyn Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:44:08 +0000 http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/#comment-42664 My sister wants to know has anyone ever used Pyrex? She does not have a dutch oven, romertopf or La Cloche, liked my bread and wants to try her hand at this. Can you use a regular loaf pan and cover it with aluminum foil? My sister wants to know has anyone ever used Pyrex? She does not have a dutch oven, romertopf or La Cloche, liked my bread and wants to try her hand at this. Can you use a regular loaf pan and cover it with aluminum foil?

]]> By: Will http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/comment-page-8/#comment-42656 Will Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:16:28 +0000 http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/#comment-42656 Madelyn, I just now took the top off the Romertopf and my NYT No-Knead is going to need a bit longer bake. 15 mins and we'll see. I baked at 425 and probably could have used a hotter oven. So far I've preheat the Romertopf to 500 then turned down the oven when loading the bread. So far I've always used parchment paper in the Romertopf and not in the cast iron. In the cast iron I use nothing. No sticking ever anywhere. That may change. Madelyn, I just now took the top off the Romertopf and my NYT No-Knead is going to need a bit longer bake. 15 mins and we’ll see. I baked at 425 and probably could have used a hotter oven.

So far I’ve preheat the Romertopf to 500 then turned down the oven when loading the bread. So far I’ve always used parchment paper in the Romertopf and not in the cast iron. In the cast iron I use nothing. No sticking ever anywhere. That may change.

]]> By: Madelyn http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/comment-page-8/#comment-42655 Madelyn Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:03:57 +0000 http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/#comment-42655 I meant "now I always use parchment" I meant “now I always use parchment”

]]> By: Madelyn http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/comment-page-8/#comment-42654 Madelyn Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:02:58 +0000 http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/#comment-42654 Hey Wil The first time I ever used my Romertopf I think I used the No-Knead recipe and put the dough in the cold Romertopf, popped it in the oven and let it heat up with the oven. I had read several times that people said this worked. That bread stuck like crazy to the Romertopf. Still tasted great, but the sticking was not acceptable. Not I always use parchment and don't dare put dough directly in the Romertopf. I also always heat my clay bakers up first, then put the dough with the parchment into a very hot baker. Do you put your dough directly into the hot Romertoph sans anything like parchment? Just curious. The sticking was such a bad experience I don't dare not use parchment ever again! When I used to use my Dutch Oven I sometimes used cooking spray but I don't want to put cooking spray on either the La Cloche or the Romertopf. Hey Wil

The first time I ever used my Romertopf I think I used the No-Knead recipe and put the dough in the cold Romertopf, popped it in the oven and let it heat up with the oven. I had read several times that people said this worked.

That bread stuck like crazy to the Romertopf. Still tasted great, but the sticking was not acceptable. Not I always use parchment and don’t dare put dough directly in the Romertopf.

I also always heat my clay bakers up first, then put the dough with the parchment into a very hot baker.

Do you put your dough directly into the hot Romertoph sans anything like parchment? Just curious. The sticking was such a bad experience I don’t dare not use parchment ever again!

When I used to use my Dutch Oven I sometimes used cooking spray but I don’t want to put cooking spray on either the La Cloche or the Romertopf.

]]> By: Will http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/comment-page-8/#comment-42652 Will Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:42:45 +0000 http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/#comment-42652 Charles, my enameled cast iron pot creates a bottom crust with which one could drive nails if one was so inclined. I don't mean this in a bad way. I happen to like the thicker toaster crust. It can be tough to cut when fresh. The finer things in life are sometimes harder to achieve. The Romertopf Clay Baker moderates the heat from our electric elements and the bottom crust is much thinner but not in a bad way. Tonight I'm baking a NYT style high moisture bread in the Romertopf to see how it does. I have both baking vessels and may get more. You can't have too many kitchen tools. Charles, my enameled cast iron pot creates a bottom crust with which one could drive nails if one was so inclined. I don’t mean this in a bad way. I happen to like the thicker toaster crust. It can be tough to cut when fresh. The finer things in life are sometimes harder to achieve.

The Romertopf Clay Baker moderates the heat from our electric elements and the bottom crust is much thinner but not in a bad way. Tonight I’m baking a NYT style high moisture bread in the Romertopf to see how it does.

I have both baking vessels and may get more. You can’t have too many kitchen tools.

]]> By: Charles http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/comment-page-8/#comment-42645 Charles Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:24:04 +0000 http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/#comment-42645 Will, please explain the "big difference in the bottom crust" using the Romertopf Vs cast iron. I am in the market to buy one, but can't decide which to buy, a cast iron Dutch, a Cloche, or the Romertopf . Anyone with comments, please share Thanks cs Will, please explain the “big difference in the bottom crust” using the Romertopf Vs cast iron. I am in the market to buy one, but can’t decide which to buy, a cast iron Dutch, a Cloche, or the Romertopf . Anyone with comments, please share

Thanks

cs

]]> By: Will http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/comment-page-8/#comment-42628 Will Sun, 07 Mar 2010 13:28:10 +0000 http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/#comment-42628 Baked the Whole Wheat version last night and it was a big hit. Moist and a touch of sweetness. Thinner crust that usual but still pleasant. Tried out my new Romertopf Clay Baker and it makes a big difference in the bottom crust as compared to cast iron. Will be doing some sourdough tonight. Thanks Eric. <img src="http://www.breadtopia.com/uploads/Image/Wil1.jpg" alt="Wil's Almost No Knead Bread" /> <img src="http://www.breadtopia.com/uploads/Image/Wil2.jpg" alt="Wil's Almost No Knead Bread" /> Baked the Whole Wheat version last night and it was a big hit. Moist and a touch of sweetness. Thinner crust that usual but still pleasant. Tried out my new Romertopf Clay Baker and it makes a big difference in the bottom crust as compared to cast iron. Will be doing some sourdough tonight.

Thanks Eric.

Wil's Almost No Knead Bread

Wil's Almost No Knead Bread

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