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Post by vaporvac on Jan 16, 2016 0:10:29 GMT -5
This isn't a recipe per se, but more of a "yes you can" type of thing and with a substantial gas savings. I've seen quite a few Twell recipes for cornbread, etc., but none for regular yeast bread, particularly the no-knead style. I've been dying to try it and finally did. I haven't yet tried a traditional yeast bread, but if the no-knead works so well I am SURE any other type would too.
Instead of preheating a heavy covered pot, I just used my SS Farberware pot with the Twellpot lid on top of a HeatMaster diffuser. I put Thermometer on top of the lid and set the heat for med. It was the required 450deg after the 1/2hr pre-heat. I left the lid on for the 1st 1/2hr and after removing it, cooked with heat for the next 15 min; then I shut the heat off. I probably could have lowered the heat and shut it off sooner.
This is great because with this type of bread I can only fit one pot in either of my ovens at a time anyway, so there's no loss in time and a HUGE gain in energy reduction. 21K BTUS for the oven vs. 9K for the Twell. Yeah!
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Post by kellyjo40 on Jan 16, 2016 0:37:55 GMT -5
Did the bread rise before going in? Tell ALL please.
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Post by nana on Jan 16, 2016 8:23:53 GMT -5
Yes, and please clarify the lids! Did the SS pot have its own lid? Plus the Twell lid? or just the Twell lid on top of an open pot? And how was the browning? I ask because I've baked a quick bread in the well, and baked a blueberry pie too, and while they both were "done", I didn't get the tops as brown as I'd like, and I actually kind of scorched the pie's bottom trying to get the heat up enough to brown the top. I thought it had to do with using 9" pans (I found an undersized 9" pie plate that fit in the DDtbaker). The cookbook says to use 8", and maybe it needs that extra space around it for heat to circulate properly? I had wondered about that in another thread, but I think I may have answered my own question. And you wouldn't believe the number of heat baffle-pot of water-mason jar-pot and twell lid combinations I tried to maintain the perfect yogurt making temp in the well, before I hit on the right one! I found that a slight change made such a big difference in temperature.
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Post by chipperhiker on Jan 16, 2016 10:38:17 GMT -5
I'm having trouble visualizing your setuo, too, vaporvac. Would you mind putting up a couple pics?
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Post by vaporvac on Jan 16, 2016 14:23:47 GMT -5
Sorry. I tried to be explicit. I'll do with pics on Monday. My memory card is full and I really want to organize everything before hitting delete. Let's try this again! 1st: Heatmaster baffle. (You could use a rack next if you have the space. I will next time.) 2nd: SS pot covered with heatproof lid. (I don't have one for my Farberware SSpot so I used the Tpot lid). The thermometer lay on that. You could try just using the the aluminum Twell pot, but I'm not sure if it's heavy enough on the bottom. Given the intense preheat in the confined space, combined with an empty pot during the pre-heat, I decided against using my usual pottery/pyrex set-up. I don't have anything cast-iron that would fit. This is just what I used and it worked well, but in my book, there's always room for improvement. I follow the standard directions for the Jim Leahy NO Kead Bread from the NYT's. There are quite a few variations on this site. It rises prior to baking. Lwagne suggested spritzing before putting the lid on so I'll try that next. I got great crust and browning, although a shallower pot might give more. I'm also going to do the second rise in a parchment lined pot to help with the potentially messy transfer to the twell. Nana, are you using a small rack on the baffle when baking pies? If not, I think that might help. The Idle hour says casseroles can be placed directly on the baffle, but it suggests the rack for baking. That's why I might try it next time with the bread. I'm prepping another boule today, and may try a standard loaf if I get motivating. I'll report my findings.
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Post by nana on Jan 16, 2016 17:26:30 GMT -5
No, I was not using a rack. Just the heat master. A rack would help with keeping the bottom from getting too dark, but would it help the top brown?
By the way, thanks for the clarification! I assume the thermowell lid itself went on too, right? Or just the pot lid?
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Post by vaporvac on Jan 16, 2016 18:08:06 GMT -5
One can never be too clear! Yes, the Twell lid was on the entire time. Regarding the pie; I'm wondering if maybe the rack creates convective currents around the pie and helps with browning the top. I assume you pre-heated the well? Were you baking WTGTO? I've yet to make cornbread oin my C's Twell, but even my B did a nice job of browning using 6" metal sq. pans in the double-decker. Hmmm, now I guess I'll have to make pie and cornbread. I am noticing that my C Twell maintains a much LOWER temp than the B, but it could be that my kitchen is way cold. I'm reluctant to raise it more. Is there a downside to this (going completely off-topic).
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Post by kellyjo40 on Jan 16, 2016 18:47:13 GMT -5
Thanks Vaporvac! Will wait for pics and any further enhancements. Love the idea of baking bread in t-well.
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Post by vaporvac on Jan 17, 2016 0:17:20 GMT -5
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Post by nana on Jan 17, 2016 15:41:14 GMT -5
I preheated, and baked the pie with the gas on and gas off times as per the Idle Hour. I think you're right, the rack must have a purpose. I should have guessed, knowing how much r and d went into these stoves. In my defense, not having an original thermobaker, the thought of using a rack just didn't occur to me. Darn it. Now I have to bake another pie to test the rack theory out. Alas, there's no rest for the wicked!
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Post by vaporvac on Jan 17, 2016 16:09:48 GMT -5
Nana, since you have the double-decker TBaker, you could place the pie on the lower shelf instead of using a rack. It just needs an air gap. I'm seeing an additional adjustment on the Double-decker now! Don't worry about the originals as most of them are missing their racks anyway. The Idle Hour also states to keep the crust a bit from the edge... don't know why, but they seem to have thought of everything. Casseroles can be baked with or without the rack.
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Post by chipperhiker on Jan 18, 2016 18:39:42 GMT -5
Thanks for the picture vaporvac! Sometimes I'm a bit slow.
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Post by vaporvac on Jan 18, 2016 19:24:20 GMT -5
Ur welcome. The pic showing the rack was too large, but you get the picture. I'm baking another loaf with my "upgrades" tomorrow, so I'll report back with results, if anyone is interested.
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Post by chipperhiker on Jan 19, 2016 0:16:23 GMT -5
I am!
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Post by vaporvac on Jan 19, 2016 18:48:18 GMT -5
NTS (Note to Self): do NOT forget Heatmaster baffle on bottom of Twell. The bread will not "bake", but burn on the bottom. Hopefully I saved it in time.
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Post by vaporvac on Jan 20, 2016 15:33:25 GMT -5
UPDATE; all went well with the second loaf, although i think I need to get fresh yeast. Lining a similar sized pan with parchment paper really helped the dough transfer, but the spritzing didn't help the oven rise much. However, that could really be a yeast issue as the entire loaf was somewhat flat. It's hard to tell. the loaf had plenty of air holes and the interior was very moist and similar to the whole grain German breads one buys in the cellophane wrapping.
I'm now wondering if it's even necessary to enclose the pan at all in the Twell since the space is so small anyway. Maybe that will be the next experiment.I may try a "normal" loaf and see how that goes. The hardest part is figuring out how much gas is required for differing temps.
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