[Sca-cooks] Getting bread into the oven

[Terry Decker]

<clipped>
> One thing that struck me about their instructions and some others is that 
> they let the dough rise on a bread peel, a paddle shaped board, with corn 
> flour under the dough to keep it from sticking, then slide the dough from 
> that into the oven, often onto a hot baking stone. I'm not sure what the 
> point of that somewhat elaborate procedure is. Why not have the dough 
> rising on a cookie sheet or equivalent, something that can go into the 
> oven, then put it in? If you are using a baking stone, you presumably 
> don't get the full effect, since the cookie sheet is between the stone and 
> the bread--but a cookie sheet is metal and thin, so I wouldn't expect it 
> to make much difference.
>
> Can anyone more familiar with bread baking explain?
> -- 
> David/Cariadoc

They're being purists.  The primary reasons for using a peel are deep ovens 
and large loaves.

The baking sheet will work if you don't get a temperature differential in 
the metal surface.  With the method you describe and a bakestone, I would 
try using a metal surface smaller than the stone to minimize such 
differentials.  Personally, if I were using a bakestone, I would load the 
dough directly on the stone.  If not, then I would one of my flat air 
cushion baking sheets (which helps even the heat at the bake surface), 
scatter cornmeal to keep the dough from sticking during the rise, and load 
sheet and all into the oven.

Be advised that darker colored baking sheets (such as the coated non-stick 
ones) produce a higher temperature at the bake surface than shiny ones.

Bear