Instructions for Using a KitchenAid Pizza Stone
Pizza or bread stones are a commonly-used tool in home baking. They increase the quality of bread and bread-based products such as pizzas and crostini. Pizza stones simulate the heating properties of brick and stone ovens, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The main qualities that a pizza stone imparts to your bakery goods is a crisper bottom crust, increased oven spring for leavened doughs and improved surface caramelization. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
Optimize Your Oven
-
1
Pizza stones are intended to simulate wood-fired, brick or stone oven floors. Check your oven for any lingering residues or unneeded pans left inside.
-
2
Attach or insert an oven thermometer, if available, to independently verify the oven's thermostat.
-
-
3
Remove all racks except for one. Move this rack to the center of the oven.
Preheat and Bake
-
4
Place the pizza stone on the center rack of the oven. Place it as close to the center of the oven as possible; this will ensure proper air flow and heating.
-
5
Preheat your oven to the desired temperature. Leave the pizza stone in throughout the heating process, and preheat for at least 20 minutes. Optimally, the pizza stone will have preheated for 45 minutes to an hour before the bread or pizza is baked. This ensures even heating throughout the contact area.
-
6
Place the pizza or proofed and shaped bread dough on the pizza stone once it has been adequately preheated. Do this as quickly as possible -- the longer the oven door is open, the more heat the oven will lose.
-
7
Remove the bread or pizza from the oven when finished. Leave the pizza stone in to cool; turn the oven off. If you must remove the stone to make way for other baking, do so with extreme caution and with thick hand protection; place it somewhere away from children, pets and the unwary to cool to room temperature. Do not wash it or cool it with water.
Washing and Care
-
8
Allow the stone to air-cool to room temperature. Do not force-cool it with water, as rapid and irregular thermal expansion and contraction may cause the stone to crack or even shatter.
-
9
Wash the stone with warm water. Do not use soap, as a pizza stone is porous and will absorb the cleaning agent.
-
10
Store the pizza stone in a clean, dry place. If it becomes dusty or accrues any other deposits, wash it thoroughly before its next use, without using any soap or detergent.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
An unlined quarry tile from a home improvement store is a cheap alternative pizza stone.
If baking enriched doughs and pizza crusts, or filled breads, on a stone, line the stone with several layers of parchment paper. This will soak up most, if not all, of any grease or other seepage.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit a long roll of bread image by hazel proudlove from Fotolia.com oven-style electric fire image by Scrivener from Fotolia.com
