If you want to bake crispy artisan loaves in your home oven, try using a stoneware baker. Stoneware bread bakers simulate a brick oven to give you professional bread baking results at home.
There are a number of stoneware bread bakers on the market that make it easy for home bakers to make beautiful and delicious loaves in their home oven.
The Superstone® La Cloche stoneware baking dish is reminiscent of the ancient cooking methods used in Greece and Rome. It duplicates a professional brick-lined oven, creating a light crumb and crusty exterior. No need to soak it. Bakes round or oval loaves.
Some breads that were baked in the Cloche baker:
Classic Sourdough Bread (Baked in La Cloche)
This sourdough bread is made using the method outlined in Classic Sourdoughs.
This rye bread is made with a sourdough pre-ferment of medium rye flour, water and a mature sourdough starter.
The legend goes that Italians created this bread without salt because of the high tariffs on salt generations ago.
Superstone® Bread Dome – The stoneware material replicates the material used for centuries by fine professional cooks as well as in homes throughout the world. The domed shape allows air to evenly-circulate around the baker for a uniformly browned crust on your bread and the unglazed lid helps create the perfect environment for baking crackly breads.
A few breads baked in the Bread Dome
This No-Knead Coconut Chocolate Bread is similar to the coconut-chocolate combo in Mounds bars. It melts in your mouth!
Shepherd’s Bread is a simple loaf that can be baked in a clay baker, a cast iron Dutch oven, or even freeform on a baking stone.
This bread is made using a very scientific, yet uncomplicated approach to making sourdough bread.
Bill says
What is the maximum safe temperature for the Le Cloche. Does the Le Cloche have to preheated with the oven or can it be placed into the preheated oven with the bread in it?
Cathy says
Hello Bill, I have used a preheated cloche and one at room temperature in a preheated oven. The recipes that come with the unit actually say to let the dough rise in it and bake it in the preheated oven with the bread in it. I usually bake breads in the La Cloche at 425 – 450 degrees F. Happy Baking!
antoinette says
Hello so are you saying that you are able to preheat this then take it out put the bread dough in and back in the oven? After baking is it safe to put the dome on top of the oven
Cathy says
Hello, yes, you can preheat the stoneware or ceramic baking cloche and then place the shaped and scored loaf in it just before you plan to bake it.
To keep from burning yourself, put the loaf on a piece of parchment and transfer the loaf (on the parchment) to the hot baker.
I do not recommend placing the hot dome on the stove. It could shatter.
Instead, what I do is place 2 thick kitchen towels on the counter or a work surface. I place the domed lid on one of the towels and the base on the other one while I am transferring the scored loaf to the preheated pot (before baking) and after removing the baked loaf and cloche from the oven. Hope this make sense.
Dean Blakeley says
Thoughts on using a cast iron Dutch oven for the same process?
Cathy says
Hello Dean, a regular cast iron Dutch oven works great for baking no knead breads that don’t require any scoring. Flipping breads into a regular (deep) Dutch oven pot and scoring the loaves before baking would be a bit tricky particularly if you let the Dutch oven preheat before placing the loaf in it. A cast iron combo baker on the other hand, can be used to make beautiful crusty artisan breads. The main draw back (for me anyway) is that they are a bit heavy, but I still use them from time-to-time because I like the results. You also have to be careful not to burn yourself when transferring loaves to the hot baker. But these are all options. I probably need to update the article to include these bakers.
Giles says
I bake most of my sourdough loaves in a cast iron pot that has been pre heated. I do the second proof in a banneton, tip onto a rectangle of baking paper, score the top of the loaf, hold the edges of the baking paper to lift the loaf into the pot, put the lid on and bake. This avoids any risks of burning yourself on the hot pot and produces perfect crisp crusts every time.
I also use a cloche but for a softer loaf. That may be because I tend to use the Clio he at a lower temperature for a longer bake than the cast iron pot.
Cathy says
Thanks for your comments Giles! I use a “parchment sling” when I bake in a Dutch oven or in a cloche. Reminds me, I need to update this page.
Regina says
where I can buy this great breadback form. i live in thailand.
Cathy says
Hi Regina, here is the link to the La Cloche Stoneware Bread Baker product page. https://www.breadexperience.com/product/superstone-la-cloche-stoneware-bread-baker/
Let me know if you have any questions.
Richard Gillingham says
Your link – https://www.breadexperience.com/product/superstone-la-cloche-stoneware-bread-baker/ – produces a 404 (not found error message)
Richard
Cathy says
Hi Richard, We don’t currently sell that product but a 404 error is not a good experience. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.