What is a cloche Baker?

What Is a Bread Cloche? Traditionally, a cloche is an unglazed stoneware dome that is first soaked in water and then placed over the dough as it’s baking to mimic the quality of a professional oven.

Can I use a Dutch oven instead of a cloche?

It is very similar to using a Dutch Oven, but the cloche was designed to bake bread, so it is an even more intuitive method. In other words, you aren’t lowering the bread into the piping hot vessel, you just lift the lid and slide the loaf onto what is essentially a baking stone.

Should I Preheat cloche?

The Preheated Method — Preheat your cloche in the oven for about a half hour to 450- 475ºF, then place your dough in the heated cloche. We recommend the Preheated Method. With this method, your bread will have better oven spring (more vigorous initial rise) and a shorter overall baking time.

What can you cook in a cloche?

Preparation and cooking The Bread Cloche is perfect for baking a loaf of around 1.2 kg (2 1/2 lbs), which corresponds to approximately 750 g (1 1/2 lbs – 6 cups) of flour. Having risen for the first time, knead the dough again and place it, with its final shape, in the Bread Cloche.

What is the top of a silver platter called?

Wearing one today is often a throwback to that era. The expression served on a silver platter often conjures up the image of a server carrying food on a plate with a shiny dome on top. The platter is the plate, and the dome on top is a cloche.

What can I use instead of a cloche?

Old plastic bottles can be used as an alternative to bell cloches. Although it is good to use recycled materials in the garden, plastic bottle cloches need to be removed quickly, must be well-anchored and can suffer badly from condensation.

How do you use a cloche bread baker?

Slash the top of the loaf several times, cover with the lid, and place the cloche in a cold oven. Set the oven temperature to 400°F; bake the bread for 35 minutes, covered. Remove the lid, and bake the bread until it’s golden brown, another 5 to 10 minutes.

Can I store bread in a cloche?

Bread in plastic bags was killing the pretty kitchen I strive to have! I wasn’t sure if the bread and rolls would stay fresh in the cloche, but after testing it out, they were just as good as if they were in their bags. Now I keep all the bread and rolls in the freezer and replenish the cloche when it empties.

How do you bake with a cloche?

Simply place the cloche in the oven, turn on the oven to the desired temperature and bake. Your loaf may be somewhat flatter in appearance but taste just as delicious. If you would like to bake several batches of bread in your cloche, mix the dough in stages staggered about 45 minutes apart.

What is the Dome called that covers food?

cloche
For most people, a cloche—the dome-shaped covering for a dish that’s removed before serving—is only ever encountered on-screen, likely in the hands of a butler in an English period drama.

Why is it called a cloche?

Cloche is taken directly from the French word cloche, meaning “bell.” This derives from the Medieval Latin clocca, which also means “bell” and is the basis for the word clock. Today, the word often refers to a kind of netting used as a protective covering.

How do you make a la Cloche Baker?

Generously dust the shallow dish of the La Cloche baker with cornmeal and place the dough, seam side down, in the base. Cover with the lid and let the dough rise. When the dough has doubled in volume, place the baker in the lower part of a preheated oven. As the baker absorbs heat, the dough will continue to rise and moisture will be released.

Is the oblong cloche Clay Baker made in the USA?

This cloche oblong baker is fantastic. Not only was it made in the USA, but it has made baking bread for me a whole lot easier. Before purchasing this handy baker I was shuffling a heavy cast iron dutch oven in and out of a hot hot hot oven during the baking process. And also having to put hot water in to another hot hot hot iron pan for steam.

How does the baking Dome in La Cloche work?

The baking dome traps steam from the dough within the dish. The clay pot is porous and moisture is trapped, but also conducted away from the surface as the bread bakes. The only initial treatment you will need to give the bread cloche is to brush the bottom with vegetable oil (sunflower oil for example) to give it a light coating.

Can you use a proved Loaf in a Clay Baker?

To use it, turn out your proved loaf into the preheated clay baker and bake the bread in the covered dome. Always heat the clay baking dome with the oven, from cold to hot. Don’t put the clay baker in an already hot oven. Never make the mistake to spray the hot clay surface with cold water.