hot When these heat sources switch on during baking, the effective temperature temporarily rises well above the target baking temperature, and the bread can be scorched Because they are vented to allow the escape of combustion gases (carbon dioxide and water), gas ovens don’t retain the loaves’ steam well during the important early stage Electric ovens do a better job Some of the advantages of the traditional stored-heat oven can be obtained from the use of ceramic baking stones or wraparound ceramic oven inserts, which are preheated to the oven’s maximum temperature and provide more intensive and even heat during baking Steam Steam does several useful things during the first few minutes of baking It greatly increases the rate of heat transfer from oven to dough Without steam, the dough surface reaches 195ºF/90ºC in 4 minutes; with steam, in 1 minute Steam thus causes a rapid expansion of the gas cells As the steam condenses onto the dough surface, it forms a film of water that temporarily prevents the loaf surface from drying out into a crust, thus keeping it flexible and elastic so that it doesn’t hinder the initial rapid expansion of the loaf, the “oven spring.” The overall result is a larger, lighter loaf In addition, the hot water film gelates starch at the loaf surface into a thin, transparent coating that later dries into an attractively glossy crust Professional bakers often inject steam under low pressure into the oven for the first several minutes of baking In home ovens, spraying water or throwing ice cubes into the hot chamber can produce enough steam to improve the oven spring and crust gloss Early Baking: Oven Spring When the bread first enters the oven, heat moves into the bottom of the dough from the oven floor or pan, and into the top from the oven ceiling ... improve the oven spring and crust gloss Early Baking: Oven Spring When the bread first enters the oven, heat moves into the bottom of the dough from the oven floor or pan, and into the top from the. ..expansion of the gas cells As the steam condenses onto the dough surface, it forms a film of water that temporarily prevents the loaf surface from drying out into a crust, thus keeping it flexible and. .. it doesn’t hinder the initial rapid expansion of the loaf, the “oven spring.” The overall result is a larger, lighter loaf In addition, the hot water film gelates starch at the loaf surface into a thin, transparent coating that later dries