Making Bread at Home: My Review and Recipes for the Emile Henry Bread Baker

I believe there is no greater satisfaction than eating the bread you have made yourself. Being able to taste the result after putting so much care into choosing the ingredients, the kneading, watching it during fermentation... Seeing the evolution the dough goes through during the process is a truly exciting experience... and without a doubt, after tasting the bread, Delicious! Today I want to tell you about Emile Henry bread ovens and offer you some recipes to make with them.

Emile Henry home bread ovens

The great secret to obtaining a crispy bread lies in the baking, in having a high level of humidity well regulated according to the volume of the bread you bake. Knowing this, Emile Henry worked on and developed the ceramic bread ovens: these recreate the same humidity conditions as a traditional bread oven, and hence the great success of the results you obtain with them: a thick, crunchy crust and a fluffy crumb.

There are three ovens with these characteristics: the round or traditional bread oven, the baguette oven, and the loaf pan oven.

Round bread oven, baguette oven and Emile Henry loaf pan oven

How do Emile Henry ovens work?

Ceramic is a material that already stands out for preserving the moisture of the foods we cook in it very well. In the case of the ovens, the lid retains the steam that forms during baking (half of the dough is water) and that steam helps form an elastic, fluffy crumb. As baking progresses, the lid without interior glaze absorbs that steam helping to form a golden, crunchy crust at the end of baking. The holes in the lid also play their part in this process as they help maintain a correct humidity level and also help heat penetrate, giving a perfect bake to our bread.

RECIPES WITH THE ROUND BREAD OVEN

Quick round bread recipe

• Preparation + fermentation time: 1h 15
• Baking time: 35 min

INGREDIENTS (for an 800gr loaf)

• 500gr wheat flour for bread making
• 280gr lukewarm water
• 10gr salt
• 10gr powdered sugar
• 10gr baker's yeast
• 30ml milk

PREPARATION

• Heat the water until it is lukewarm (35°C/95°F max).
• In a large bowl mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast ➊
Add the lukewarm water and knead gently for about 2-3 minutes
Make a ball with the dough, cover it with a kitchen towel and let it rest for about 20 minutes in a warm place (20°C/68°F), protected from drafts.
• After that time knead again to remove the carbon dioxide.
Sprinkle flour over the base of the Emile Henry oven, shape the dough into a ball and place it in the center.
• Cover it with the oven lid and let it rest another 45 minutes at room temperature.
• With a brush, paint the surface of the dough with milk and sprinkle a little flour on top.
Now you need to make several cuts in the dough with a sharp knife➋.

• Cover again and place the bread oven (also called "Bread Cloche") in the preheated oven at 240°C/460°F and bake for approximately 35 to 45 minutes.
• Remove it from the oven and let the bread cool on the base but without the lid.

➊What is the difference between baker's yeast and baking powder?
Baking powder lightens the dough artificially. Baker's yeast causes a real fermentation creating bubbles in the dough.

➋How should I make the cuts on the surface of the dough?
Use a sharp knife and make cuts, without pressing too hard, about 5mm deep. They are made so that carbon dioxide and moisture can be released easily in the early moments of the bread's baking. They will also help the bread look delicious once done.

Traditional bread recipe with raisins and toasted hazelnuts

Preparation + fermentation time: 1h15
Baking time: 45 min

INGREDIENTS

• 500 g wheat flour for bread making
• 250 g whole wheat flour
• 420 g lukewarm water
• 15 g salt
• 15 g powdered sugar
• 15 g baker's yeast
• 50 g raisins
• 50 g hazelnuts

PREPARATION

• Heat the water until it is lukewarm (35°C/95°F max).
• In a large bowl mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. ➊
• Add the lukewarm water and knead gently for about 2-3 minutes
Make a ball with the dough, cover it with a kitchen towel and let it rest for about 20 minutes in a warm place (20°C/68°F), protected from drafts.
• Toast the hazelnuts in a pan without using any fat. ➋
• Knead again to remove the carbon dioxide and add the hazelnuts and raisins
• Sprinkle flour over the base of the Emile Henry oven, shape the dough into a ball and place it in the center.
• Cover it with the lid and let it rest another 30 minutes at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 240°C / 460°F.
• With a small brush, paint the surface of the dough with water and sprinkle a little flour on top. Now you have to make several cuts in the dough with the Emile Henry blade (included in the Set)
• Cover again and place the Emile Henry bread oven in the preheated oven at 240°C/460°F and bake approximately 45 minutes at 240ºC/460°F.
• To obtain an even crispier and more golden crust, remove the lid 5 minutes before the bread finishes baking.
• Remove it from the oven and let the bread cool on the base but without the lid.



➊ Is it possible to use other types of flour? Which ones?
Yes, as long as 50% of the flour is wheat flour for bread making. For example, chestnut flour would give this recipe a sweet touch that would pair very well with raisins and hazelnuts. Another flour that would combine well in this recipe would be whole grain flour which would give a crunchy touch. And to obtain a stronger flavor and a darker color, rye flour is ideal.

➋ How do I toast the hazelnuts and why?
The nuts should be toasted so they remain crunchy both during preparation and during the bread's baking. It also helps them retain their flavor. It can be done in two ways, provided no fat is added: they can be placed on a tray in a very hot oven for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often; or in a non-stick pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Tips and advice for baking bread at home with Emile Henry ovens

DOUGH PREPARATION

You can do it by hand, with a food processor or using a bread machine. You can follow one of the recipes you see below or follow your own recipe.

The round bread oven is perfect for baking a loaf of approximately 1.2 kg, which corresponds to about 750 g of flour.

FERMENTATION

Let the dough rest to ferment at room temperature, protected from drafts, for the time indicated in the recipe.

BAKING

Before the final fermentation stage, give the dough its final shape and place it in the Emile Henry oven. To bake the dough, put the ceramic oven with the lid in your oven for the time and at the temperature indicated by the recipe.

HOW TO CARE FOR IT

The Emile Henry bread ovens have been designed to be used in any conventional oven. However, they cannot be used directly on the flame of gas cookers or on any other type of range (electric, induction…).

The first times you use the oven, be generous sprinkling flour on the surface. The ceramic becomes non-stick with use and time, but at first to prevent the dough from sticking this simple act of sprinkling flour is enough.

You can wash the oven in the dishwasher: it will not lose any of its properties or its color. If dirt is stuck to the ceramic, you can soak it in hot soapy water or mixed with a splash of vinegar. Then pass a sponge over it and it will look like new!

It is important that you let it dry well before storing it and it will remain impeccable for many years.