How to Make Bread in Mini Clay Baking Tins

Make bread in a clay loaf pan for a crunchy crust.

Clay baking dishes are traditional pans for baking bread. Unlike metal, the clay regulates the heat going to the loaf, resulting in a thicker, crunchier crust on the loaf. Mini clay baking dishes produce small, individual loaves, perfect for gift giving or for large sandwich rolls. Clay baking dishes require special care and a longer cooking time compared to their metal counterparts, but the baked bread's texture will be worth the effort.

Things You'll Need

• Vegetable oil
• Paper towels
• 1 pound prepared bread dough
• Plastic wrap
• Cooling rack

Instructions

1. Soak the clay baking tins in water for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Rub the inside of the clay baking dishes with vegetable oil.

3. Divide the bread dough into eight equal segments. Shape the dough pieces into rectangles to fit into each clay dish, and place the dough inside.

4. Cover the clay tins with the dough inside with plastic wrap and let the dough rise a second time for 15 to 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

5. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. Remove the plastic wrap from the baking tins and place them onto the bottom rack of the oven.

7. Bake the bread for 30 to 35 minutes or 10 minutes longer than using the same size metal pans.

8. Cool the bread in the pans for 10 minutes, and remove to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not bake sugary breads such as quick breads or cakes in clay loaf pans because the sugar will get into the clay's pores and cause the loaf to stick in the pan, warns Sangeeta Gupta in "Bread Bonanza."

References

• "The Bread Bible: Beth Hensperger's 300 Favorite Recipes"; Beth Hensperger; 1999
• "Bread Bonanza"; Sangeeta Gupta; 2005
• "From a Baker's Kitchen: Techniques and Recipes for Professional Quality Baking in the Home Kitchen"; Gail Sher, et al.; 2004