Wooden baking frames mark II part I
These days it's quiet here at the weekend, so I thought i would make a multi-part post, Pie King style (well, two parts,anyway). Here we have S02E01 - design and construction.
A while ago I dabbled with baking bread in wooden frames and posted the (slightly mixed) results on TFL. This system was common in the UK, especially in Scotland, where a loaf known as "the Scottish plain loaf" was produced.
After my experimental bakes, I vowed never to bake in frames again. Naturally, I have relented, especially after being reminded of wooden frame baking after viewing a post by voll_korn_voll_lecker
It turns out German bakers are into using Holzbackrahmen, as they are called.
This time I just made a single frame, but for added interest (and complexity!), I made it with sloping sides, like a proper old fashioned English bread tin - 80deg on the sides, 85deg at the ends - probably the only one in the world! It certainly needed a bit of head scratching to get the angles right....
Sloping sides shold give better rise - think vectors - some of the yeasty forces going sideways will go partially upwards with sloping sides.
Here it is, not quite finished (waiting for a few screws):
English oak sides and a few scraps of Muskoka Red Deer maple flooring (for you Canadians) at the ends.
S02E02 (the bake) to follow.....
Lance
Frame conditioned prior to first use by coating the inside with rapeseed oil and baking in the oven, 200C, top and bottom heat, 30 mins.
Lance
Wow! I really like your project!
None of your "trapezoids" are vertical!
..Measurements are proprietary???!!
Thanks Jo_en; I hope to bake in it soon. No secrets: side angles are 80deg, front and back 85. I was going to do 80 all round, but realised that the first and last slices would be serious wedgies!
Inside dims are 185 x 90 bot and 203 x 125 top, vertical height 108. Volume is around 2250ml, though I need to do a water test to confirm.
Lance
Did You?
Yes, very remiss of me not to make a follow up post - it must have slipped through the net...
But here we are, two bakes:
Both yeasted, with 4 hour sponges. Unfortunately the first one stuck to the frame and got mangled:
So I reseasoned the frame and also increased the dough weigh from 900 to 970g. Results were much improved.
Lance
They look superb, Lance. The different proportions compared with standard loaf pans make the loaf look slightly exotic. I suppose the frame will release better and better with use. What are the advantages of the wooden frame over a tin for this kind of bread (other than the cool factor)?
TomP
I think the advantages are a loaf with a crispy top but soft sides. Of course, if you have a big frame you can bake multiple loaves together and get the true batch effect where you pull apart the loaves at the joins, but then you will need a big oven, so not really for the home baker.
There is also reckoned to be some smoked wood aroma, but for me that is pretty subtle.
German home bakers are also well into them too - search for Holzbackrahmen. Often used to bake a bread called Paderborner Landbrot. Must try it!
Lance