Can't make friends with the oven? Bread or pizza not coming out? Do not despair, there is a way out! The baker's stone will correct the situation and turn baking into a favorite pastime. What kind of device is this, how to use it and why housewives love it - you will learn from the article.
Why do I need a baking stone?
With this device, you can create the effect of a real Russian stove in any oven, be it gas or electric. What exactly does a baker's stone do?
- equalizes the temperature around the entire perimeter;
- supports her all the time;
- instantly gives maximum heat to the dough.
All this creates the right conditions for cooking in the oven. As a result, the yeast quickly works, the dough rises and bakes evenly, a tender and porous crumb with a beautiful, thin and crispy crust is obtained. It's great, isn't it? Let's figure out how this is achieved.
Why is this baking accessory so effective?
In fact, the whole secret lies in the right material. Only a baking stone made of fireclay clay gives a good effect. It has a spongy structure, which helps to absorb the moisture of the dough and release it evenly. At the same time, several million microscopic pores first absorb the heat from the oven, and then gradually release it. The fact is that they contain air and have high thermal insulation properties. At the same time, the temperature in the oven is constantly maintained, it does not increase or decrease.
It is worth noting that in the manufacture of really good stones, only high-quality natural materials are used, which is fireclay clay. With proper use, it will not crack, will not exfoliate and will last indefinitely. Artificial stones will lose their properties many times, and the result will not be so amazing.
For what dishes is the baker's stone suitable?
Rusted bread. Even our grandmothers cooked it in stoves. Therefore, it rose beautifully, the cuts opened beautifully, and the crust on top and bottom came out ruddy and crispy. Exactly the same effect will give a stone in a conventional oven
Juicy pizza. The stone will absorb excess moisture from the thin dough. Therefore, the base will not burn, bake evenly, and the filling will remain juicy, not dry
Delicious meat and tender fish. Due to the heat capacity of the stone, you can create a favorable environment in any oven, even for such dishes. They will fry well, melt in your mouth and get an unsurpassedaroma. Therefore, your meat or fish on the baking stone will turn out simply amazing
Other pastries: buns, baguettes, cheesecakes, land mines, pita bread and much more. Whatever you are going to cook, the result on the stone will be more perfect and stable than on the usual baking sheet
That is, the stone is suitable for baking any dish. Some housewives even cook potatoes and other vegetables on it.
Selection criteria
If you look at the shelves or in online stores, you can see that consumers are offered many options. Among such a variety, one can simply get confused. What to look for when buying?
1. Fitting form. Most often you can find rectangular, square and round. Each form has its purpose, but, in principle, any is good. Pizza looks very nice on a round one, but it is irrational in terms of space use. Therefore, it is worth choosing a square or rectangular baking stone that fits into your oven as much as possible. Just keep in mind that in this case, there should be a free space of a couple of centimeters between the walls and the device.
2. Stone thickness. Parameters of 1.5-2 centimeters are considered ideal. Such an accessory warms up for a long time, but it will be more efficient and durable. Some housewives choose centimeter stones and speak of them just as well. They note that the baking tool does not crack for several years, and the porosity of the crumb and the rudiness of the crustremain on top. Here everyone is determined with a choice.
3. Material. As already mentioned, a quality pebble should be made from fireclay clay. They are on sale both Russian and foreign production. But you can also find baking stone made of granite, marble and ceramics. Experts do not recommend using the first type of material, since harmful substances are released when heated.
Baking Stone Operating Instructions
Before the first use, it is recommended to thoroughly rinse the product with running water without any detergents. If you use cleaning solutions, then the porous surface will simply absorb alkaline substances, and this will not benefit baking.
When the appliance is completely dry, place it in the oven and heat for 30 to 40 minutes at maximum temperature. Do not remove the stone from the cabinet, put the prepared pastries on it. When the dish is ready, take it out of the oven. At the same time, leave the baking stone there until it cools completely.
Secrets of use
Baking will have a very crispy crust if the pebble is sprinkled with a little water
The device does not need to be lubricated or sprinkled with anything, the dough will not burn at all
It is recommended to bake fish or meat wrapped in foil. So the dish will come out fragrant and juicy
Stone can be a wonderful coolant. In the summer, freeze it in the refrigerator and put glasses of drinks on it. So they will stay for a long timecold
How to extend the life of the product
1. Do not place the stone at the very bottom of the oven. Better place it on the grate at the lowest level.
2. Do not put a cold stone in an already heated stove. It must be heated and cooled exclusively with the oven.
3. Do not put a damp stone in a hot oven. Otherwise it will cause cracks or splitting.
4. Do not wash the baking stone with dish gels or other cleaners.
5. Do not lubricate the surface with oil or grease. If necessary, you can sprinkle with flour.
6. Do not worry if sauce drops or dripping cheese get on the stone during cooking. This will not harm the product.
Product care
It is worth noting that some manufacturers allow washing with plain water, while others categorically prohibit it. The exception is spraying with water before planting bread. So you need to carefully read the instructions before use.
If you can not wash, how to care? Everything is very simple. Simply wipe gently with a damp cloth. But, in principle, there is no food dirt, because it simply burns out. And charcoal residues can simply be brushed off with a brush.
White and light baking stone for the oven darkens over time. But do not be afraid of this and try to mercilessly erase the plaque. This will only make the device more effective.
Shovel is an essential accessory
The temperature of the oven with a heated stone is very high, and the bread needs to be plantedvery fast and neat. For such purposes, they came up with a special spatula for disembarking products. It is completely wooden, has a wide base and a long handle. Although in the modern interpretation it is already most often short. Of course, you can always get out and adapt, but it is really more convenient to work with a spatula. Also, a large base area allows you to mold bread directly on it and roll out layers on pizza. The spatula for planting and the baker's stone are often sold as a set, which is quite logical.
Baking Stone Cost
A few years ago, acquiring such a device was a real problem. The choice was small, and it was not possible to buy everywhere - most often in imported stores. Russian proposals were completely isolated and started from eight thousand rubles.
Today the situation has improved, but you can see that the pricing policy varies greatly. Italian and German stones cost an average of nine thousand, and Russian ones - within two. If you participate in joint purchases, then the price can be brought down to seven hundred rubles. However, it is not worth chasing cheapness, as this may affect the quality of the goods. Experienced housewives recommend purchasing an accessory worth within three thousand. This is also a considerable price, and therefore you involuntarily start to think about how to replace the baking stone.
Successful alternative to stone
Facing unglazed tiles are similar in properties to a stone from fireclay. They are also made from natural materials. These can be attributedbrooms, clinker, terracotta and fireclay. Such tiles are made at high temperatures, absorb water a little, do not burst when heated and in frost. The advantage of such a replacement is that it is inexpensive. And the minus is that the thickness and working surface will be small. The size of the tiles on average can be from 10 to 30 centimeters. You will have to lay several pieces side by side and in several layers. But between them there will still be gaps that will affect the warm-up. Although chefs who are already replacing stone with tiles do not complain about the alternative and are satisfied with the result.
Bad replacements
Mistresses, wondering what can replace the baking stone, do not always choose the best options. What materials are not suitable for the oven?
- Marble. It is very brittle and will crack quickly under temperature differences.
- Granite. Releases harmful substances when heated.
- Silicate bricks.
- Small pebbles.
- River sand.
- Rock s alt.
- Baking tray upside down.
Sometimes you can find recommendations that these materials may well be a worthy replacement for a baking stone. However, the first two are generally harmful, and with the help of the others it will not be possible to fully achieve the desired effect. You can heat bricks, pebbles or a baking sheet for an infinitely long time, but the effect will be completely different due to a different structure, thermal conductivity and heat transfer. On such materials, you can perfectly cook light cheesecakes or down pies. And for the perfect pizza and bread doughyou need a baking stone or, in extreme cases, unglazed tiles. Otherwise, you'll get the "crunch of a French roll" as one song said.
Conclusions
Definitely worth considering a fireclay device for the oven if you consider yourself a professional chef or just make pizza and bread at home all the time. You can also cook other pastries, vegetables and fish on the baking stone. That is, it is a universal device. And the result is so delicious that you want to have a pebble even for infrequent, but high-quality preparation of lush bread with a crispy crust. At the same time, there are no difficulties and tricky actions in leaving.
Decide for yourself whether to buy a baking stone or you can completely get by with an imitation replacement.
