My first attempt at the Ain5 - What did I do wrong?

[KitchenWitch]

I baked it in my Lodge cast iron dutch oven (uncovered) and had the water in the broiling pan. But the whole bottom crust stuck to the pan (I used cornmeal). I put the bread dough in the dutch oven and did not pre-heat the dutch oven.

Should I have used parchment paper instead?

[Lucinda]

1. You don't have to use parchment, though I do. I think the bottom

of your loaf may have been too wet. Maybe dust a little flour on it next time before you put it on the cornmeal bed? Just make sure its not sticky, you don't need much. Maybe someone else will chime in with another suggestion.

It looks very nice though! You got great color. Did you taste it?

[KitchenWitch]

5. I did, it tastes fantastic.

[Lucinda]

9. Good! Glad you liked it!

:hi:

[NMDemDist2]

2. what temp did you use? I do notice in a Dutch it will try and stick a bit BUT

I use the cover for the first 25 minutes and don't mess with the broiler pan/water thing

they say if you're going to use the pan/water technique to use a baking stone

try the next batch with the lid on and move the rack higher and at 425

glad to see you jumped all over that suggestion in the Lounge tho, :hi:

and it gets better the longer it stays in the fridge (up to two weeks!!!)

here's what I'm doing now, on my 5th generation

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=236&topic_id=58144&mesg_id=58199

[KitchenWitch]

4. I put two of my wads of dough in the freezer.

I have one wad left out for home made pizza sometime this weekend.

[NMDemDist2]

8. leave it in the fridge, it slows it down too much that cold

the fridge will help it develop most excellent flavor, it's pretty bland and tasteless when it's new

it's the 3-7 days in the fridge that make it soooooo good and there in SoCal, you'll get a most excellent sour dough taste.

go rescue it RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!11!!!!!!

:rofl:

[KitchenWitch]

6. I did it at 450.

Maybe a lower temp and parchment paper next time.

[hippywife]

3. I've pretty muche decided that the whole

cornmeal thing just doesn't work with this wet dough. Skip it and go with the parchment paper.

Your loaf looks pretty tasty, tho. :hi:

[KitchenWitch]

7. Yep, I am all over the parchment paper idea.

[grasswire]

10. I used parchment paper in my Lodge dutch oven

I cooked it for 40 min covered and 10 min uncovered, at 450. It turned out very well. If I wanted a reallly crusty top I would cook it for ten more minutes uncovered.

[Warpy]

11. First, preheat the Dutch oven

When you throw the soggy dough into it, a layer of flash steam will be created between the bread and the pot and the bread won't stick. If you're really nervous about it, use parchment paper to lift the dough and set it into the pot, leaving it there during the baking.

Cover the Dutch oven during the first 45 minutes of baking. The steam from the bread is trapped inside the Dutch oven and you won't need that pan of water. You won't believe the difference in the crust.

Still, it looks pretty good for mistake bread. I'll bet it tastes as good as it looks.