A Great New Steaming Device
Dec 29, 2006 | From the kitchen of Rose
The New Steamer
I've actually written about this on the posting re my final conclusions on the "No Knead Bread" but want to list it as a new posting so no one will miss it. I've tried many steaming devices but the only one that produces a significant amount of steam is the "steam breadmaker." It comes with aluminum lids to contain the steam and an oven stone can also be ordered.
If your oven vents the air and steam such as my Gaggenau, the containers are ideal to hold the steam in during the critical first 10 minute phase of bread baking.(Moisture is vital during the first 10 minutes of bread baking for the best crust and crumb.)
In my Wolf gas oven with oven stone in place, after loading the bread, I simply crack open the preheated oven door, insert the steamer nozzle, and steam for 30 seconds.
Check out: http://info@steambreadmaker.com
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Matthew in reply to comment from Rose Levy Beranbaum
01/26/2010 05:41 PM
I'll tell you one thing I like using those disposable aluminum pans for: when a recipe calls for using greased foil to keep something from over browning, but there is also a chance the quick bread/cake will stick to the foil. I have one to cover my loaf pans with at the end of baking that is tall enough that it won't touch the surface of the cake. Works just like foil, but easier! The chocolate pound cake recipe is an example.
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Rose in reply to comment from Matthew
01/26/2010 05:32 PM
right--a metal la cloche!
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Matthew in reply to comment from Rose Levy Beranbaum
01/26/2010 05:30 PM
Also seems similar in concept to La Cloche, but again, with less heat.
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Rose in reply to comment from Melinda
01/26/2010 12:18 PM
melinda i haven't tried the exact method because i have that steaming device with lid but it is the same concept. when i put the lid over the rolls or bread and then inject steam into the hole it causes the bread to inflate like a balloon!
using the roaster pan is the same thing essentially but you're adding the water in a less hot mist so maybe a little less effective. still, the point is that if you leave the lid on to long you'll get a thicker crust so you have to play with it to see what is optimal for your taste.
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Melinda in reply to comment from Melinda
01/25/2010 10:01 PM
Re posting my question to you1
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Melinda
01/25/2010 07:25 AM
Hello Rose, Have you tried the new steaming technique
described on Peter Reinhart's blog? (ie, just before ready to bake, slash bread, mist bread and then into oven on stone or pan, then cover with aluminium turkey roasting pan remove after about 15 mins depending on bread baking and finish baking without roaster pan.) He says it gives a good oven spring. I haven't got access to the oven steamer thing. I usually do as you recommend and put a small iron pot in and add ice cubes, which is good. I just wonder what you think of this technique.
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Jeannette
02/21/2008 12:48 PM
Thank you for that good idea,Joel, I never thought of that before and I've had a really good steam cleaner for a few years now! I don't bake a lot of bread in my oven, I tend to use my breadmaker more but when I do I shall try the steam cleaner for a good jet of steam as I haven't had much success using a spray bottle so far.
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Joel
02/21/2008 09:04 AM
I've just bought a steam cleaner, on impulse really, and while I haven't yet baked bread with it, I think it'll do the job. 30 seconds of steam injection into my oven for a trial left the whole glass misted up and foggy, and my oven doesn't vent it out! I hope it works better than the ice cube method because my oven has exposed elements at the bottom, and in order to accomodate the pan for the ice, I had to move the baking stone almost to the middle of the oven. I think that caused some over-browning, and I hope this solves the problem!
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Rose
02/12/2008 09:54 PM
you can certainly use your own steam cleaner providing it has a nozzle that fits into the little hole in the lid. perhaps you can purchase the lid without the steamer and it will come with directions and recommendations.
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Sharon
02/10/2008 09:18 AM
Re: Curtis' homemade Steam Baker -- How do you remove the hot lid, and at what point in the baking do you do that? Also, how long do you pump in the steam?
I have a steam cleaner, and would prefer not to have to spend more money on this device than I have to!
Rose, You are the best help to all of us bread bakers out there. Your advice and recipes are spot on!
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Rose
09/05/2007 11:08 PM
i would preheat the oven to 450 to allow for the drop in temperature when the door is opened. i would also preheat the lid--not important where.
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Steven H
09/05/2007 07:17 PM
If you are baking croissants and the recipe calls for 400 degrees fahrenheit and you are going to use the steamer, since the oven will be open for a few moments while you shove the dough onto the stone, close the steam cover and use the steam gun what should you preheat to ? Should the lid be preheated over the stone or just in the oven or not put in until the dough is over the stone ? Thanks.
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Curtis
08/03/2007 08:05 AM
I feel a little rotten about posting this, and mean no harm to Mark and the folks at SMBBC, but I put an identical contraption together for less than $80. I bought a 6" high half steamer tray at my local restaurant supply place and drilled a hole in it and bought the identical steamer at Target for $40. The bread is fantastic. I live in San Francisco and you can't tell my loaves from Boudin or the other local fare. I have to admit, I feel like I owe SMBBC a royalty or something. The bread is so great, the steamer is what makes the difference and it was their idea.
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marie wolf
06/24/2007 08:47 PM
Rose,
Thank you, thank you, thank you for recommending the Steam Break Maker! I've just finished baking baguettes (your recipe) with this gizmo, and they were better than I ever imagined I could bake in a home oven. I can't wait to try more breads in this wonderful contraption.
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Rose
02/21/2007 08:24 AM
i do know that canadian flour is a good strong flour for bread baking and i've heard robin hood purity is excellent but best to put a search for canadian flour in the blog search box to see the reports of several fellow canadians!
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Agnes Devine
02/21/2007 12:28 AM
Finally got your book the bread bible not getting to much bread done to busy reading and what a lot of reading. Was wondering as I am in Canada if there is comparable flour in Canada that you use in the States like King Arthur or Philsbury, we have a Robin Hood Purity and a few others was wondering if there is much difference in the flours
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Rose
01/31/2007 09:03 PM
i'm so pleased--mine just arrived today!
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Monica
01/31/2007 04:11 PM
I just received my Steam Maker with the 6" lid this past week, and already LOVE it after just a couple of uses! My breads are more beautiful and even my kids noticed the difference in the crumb and taste. Consider this an enthusiastic endorsement!!
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Anonymous
01/25/2007 11:16 PM
Could you give me the recipie for the sour dough starter
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Mark
01/02/2007 01:57 PM
Hi Monica,
We have had interest expressed in a taller lid (including from Rose!) and will be adding a 6 inch tall lid during 2007. If you want to place an order for 6 inch inside height lid before we add it to the site, just send us a separate email at the same time as you place your order, stating that you prefer the 6 inch inside height lid. We'll honor the pricing currently on the site whether you order 4 or 6 inch height lid.
Thanks,
Mark Schimpf
Steam Maker Bread Baker Company
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Monica
01/02/2007 12:39 PM
Hi Rose,
I am looking into the steamer you recommended with some excitement especially since I have been largely unsuccessful with generating steam in my own oven. One question I have is regarding the height....I often make a large round loaf, that generally rises to higher than the 4" internal height maximum of the lids being offered. Is this not to be used with this type of loaf, or do I remove the lid prior to it rising that high?
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Rose
12/30/2006 06:32 PM
yes, i tried this pan with and without a stone and found the performations did nothing except cause some of the butter from the crust to leak on to the stone. they won't result in an inferior crust but they offer no advantage either. definitely use the pizza stone but line it with foil or set the pie pan on another pan first so it doesn't saturate the stone with fat. pizza stones i've seen are the same thickness as bread stones.
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suzy
12/29/2006 05:17 PM
Happy New Year, Rose!
I have your Pie and Pastry Bible and love reading your blog. I received a pair of nice heavy pie pans(aluminized steel from Williams Sonoma) for Christmas and they are perforated - supposedly to "promote even cooking of bottom crust." Have you used them? Do you have any comments or advice? I'm planning to try them with a pumpkin pie for New Year's Day. I also received a pizza stone. Is it equivalent to the baking stone you recommend? Should I use it with the perforated plates or do you think it would interfere with the way the perforations are supposed to work? Any advice you can give is greatly appreciated.
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Rose
12/29/2006 04:09 PM
i trust you're talking about frozen tart sour cherries and not the dark red bing cherries. if you are, then no changes are needed. i give instructions for freeze the cherries etc. so just follow those.
if you're not referring to this type of cherry then you'll have to wing it as far as sweetness is concerned!
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Josh
12/29/2006 04:06 PM
Hi, Rose! I wanted to make lattice-top cherry pie from the pie and pastry bible. As you know, there are no cherries in season right now, so i was wondering if I could use supermarket frozen cherries. What adjustments would I need to make as far as maybe increasing thickner, defrosting in a strainer to remove the juice, etc.
Thanks.
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Rose
12/29/2006 03:37 PM
thank you SO much for fixing it for me!
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Sunny
12/29/2006 10:58 AM
The link to http://info@steambreadmaker.com doesn't go to the website. This one will, though:
http://steambreadmaker.com
Absolutely love your website! Thank you.
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