heat from above, the floor conducting heat
directly into the loaves from beneath. As the
dough heats it releases steam, which fills the
closed chamber and further speeds the transfer
of heat to the loaves. Slowly the oven surfaces
lose their heat, and the temperature declines
during the bake, at the same time that the loaf
is browning and therefore becoming more
efficient at absorbing heat. The result is a
rapid initial heating that encourages the dough
to expand, and temperatures high enough to
dry the crust well and generate the color and
flavors of the browning reactions (p. 778).
Modern Metal Ovens The modern metal oven
is certainly easier to bake in than the wood-
fired oven, but it isn’t as ideally suited to
breadmaking. It usually has a maximum
cooking temperature of 500ºF/250ºC. And its
thin walls are incapable of storing much heat,
so its temperature is maintained by means of
gas flames or electrical elements that get red-