The bread in the cast iron Dutch oven, a
crunchy and golden crust that crackles under your teeth, with a soft and fluffy crumb that melts in your mouth…
🔸 Why choose a cast iron pot?
Perfect cooking: cast iron distributes heat evenly, ensuring a crispy crust and a light crumb.
Irresistible flavor: the pot retains moisture, making the bread even tastier and more fragrant.
Ease of preparation: put the dough in the pot, bake, and let the oven do the rest!
https://blog.giallozafferano.it/crisemaxincucina/ricetta-pane-nella-cocotte-di-ghisa/
For the oven temperature, check the maximum temperature your cast iron pot can reach; ours goes to 464°F, if yours goes to 482°F you can use that temperature.
“Check out the review on my 3-liter Vancasso cast iron Dutch oven”
Here is our new bright red Dutch oven.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 16 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 750 gram loaf
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for bread baked in a cast iron Dutch oven:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups Manitoba flour
- 3/4 cup semolina flour
- 1/2 tsp dry yeast
- 1 tsp acacia honey
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp fine salt
- 1 1/4 cups water (at room temperature)
Tools for bread baked in a cast iron Dutch oven:
- 1 Dutch Oven
- 1 Bowl
- Parchment paper
Steps for preparing and baking bread in a cast iron Dutch oven:
In a large bowl, put the room temperature water, add the honey and dry yeast, and stir well with a spoon to dissolve the ingredients.
Now add the extra virgin olive oil and stir well, then gradually add the three types of sifted flour and the salt.
Work the mixture well until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough, transfer it to a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Let it rise for 2 hours at room temperature, then transfer the bowl to the refrigerator and let it rise for approximately 12 hours.
After this time, let the bowl sit out of the refrigerator for 2 hours to reactivate the rising.
Shape a loaf and place it on a parchment paper sheet.
Place the empty cast iron pot with the lid in the oven and heat it to 464°F (when the oven light turns off, the pot is hot).
Carefully and with silicone gloves, remove the pot from the oven, take off the lid (be careful it’s very hot), place the loaf with the parchment paper and cover with the lid.
Bake at 464°F for 20 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and bake at 392°F for 20 minutes.
Remove the pot from the oven, always using heat-resistant gloves, place the bread on a rack so that it loses moisture and remains crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Why use a cast iron pot for baking bread?
The cast iron pot helps distribute heat evenly, creating a perfect crust and keeping the moisture inside the bread. The result is a crispy crust and a soft crumb, just like artisanal bread.
Can I bake bread without using a cast iron pot?
Sure! You can bake bread on a baking sheet as well, but the cast iron pot helps achieve a crunchier crust and a moister bread inside.
How can I keep the cast iron pot in good condition?
After each use, clean the pot with hot water (without soap) and dry it well. If necessary, lightly oil the surface to keep it well-conditioned.
Is it possible to bake gluten-free bread in a cast iron pot?
Yes, you can also bake gluten-free bread in the cast iron pot! The only thing to consider is that the rising times and dough consistency might differ from traditional bread.
