Bake sourdough from cold oven? | Save electricity | Foodgeek Baking

Is it possible to bake high hydration sourdough bread in a cold oven and get great oven spring? That's what this experiment tries to find out.

Foodgeek Master Recipe for Artisan Sourdough Bread:

The formula:

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Baking Vessels:

Bulking containers:

Lames/blades/scoring:

Starter:

Banneton/proofing baskets:

Bowls:

Bread Knife:

Gloves:

Baking pans:

Measuring Cups:

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#coldbake #saveelectricity #sourdoughbread

00:00 Teaser
00:20 Introduction
01:54 Mix the dough
02:45 Bulk fermentation
03:33 Divide & Pre-shape
03:52 Final shape
04:57 Bake
07:05 Crumb reveal
07:21 Conclusion

[rayong]

One thing I tried before was to preheat the cast iron on the gas range for 5 mins before putting in the oven another 5 mins to let the temp even out. Total preheat of oven is just 10 to 15 mins. Turned out great. I thot the instruction to preheat oven and dutch oven for an hour was ridiculous, in that time my bake would have been almost over.

[johnnyjimj]

I've been baking my bread from cool oven for over a year now with great success. I simply extended the baking time from 45 to 50-55 minutes. I also bake fully covered the whole time now. The crust isn't as thick, the bread crumb is more moist and the bread keeps longer. It does have a tendency to make larger air pockets, but I found in general it's the best method for making everyday toast bread.

[lilykor]

Thank you, Sune!! Since I saw this video, I only bake from cold now, and absolutely love the results, every time!! The spring, the crumb, the taste! And, most of all - no need to deal with blazing-hot oven and baking vessels! Plus, of course, the energy savings. Genius idea 😊

[rocketskids]

If you want to save maximum electricity you should skip the dutch oven as well as that's just extra material you need to heat. I've done this with two cheap (thin) pans (bottom to hold the dough, top to hold the steam) and it works pretty much the same except faster.

[gracie]

I've gone to this method since first hearing about it a month or so agon; this has been a game changer for me. I do the final proof in my cast iron dutch oven, then start the oven once I get close to peak rise; I get even more oven spring as the oven heats up because it's gradual.

[ninelaivz]

I really like Sune's channel.
He is exposing a lot of myths and helping us simplify the process of making sourdough bread. I have no interest in being a puritan about this. I like what works quickest with great results. I bought a bread maker 15 years ago. It's still in the box never used.

The culture in the sourdough fraternity is to bake it really dark. I prefer a lighter golden colour but I don't know if that would be enough to bake it fully internally.

[carlwasielewski]

Very interesting! I should add, if you’re baking in the winter, while you’re heating your house, you’re probably “loosing” very little electricity. Assuming your house is insulated, that heat is predominately staying in the house and your furnace/boiler will therefore turn off for a roughly commensurate amount of savings. if anything, you’re effectively temporarily zoning your house for a warm kitchen, which I actually find quite pleasant!

In the summer though, it would be a different story and that energy would be wasted, would unpleasantly heat your house, and the energy could actually be doubly wasted if you run an air conditioner which would then have to fight that heat.

Regardless, you save time in either season, which is precious, and this was a great experiment to see!

[qiubick]

I am using method with preheating oven to 200C (just about 15min) and then put bread in, with temp raised to 230-240C. i keep top cover for about 30min, then take it off and bake for another 15-20min for nice gold crust. Im not sure how much am i saving energy but this works for me, and i dont like bread with so much dark skin :) thanks for this video, sorry for my english, gretings from Poland for all bread lovers :D

[iwanmorris]

I pre heat my Dutch oven with the lid off, the lid placed lying by the side of the Dutch oven base, in the oven. I check the temp of the Dutch oven using my infrared temperature thermometer/gun. It reaches 250C in roughly 20 min.
Heating the Dutch oven with the lid off saves me a lot of time and electricity.

[gmatmc]

Thanks for all your experiments, Sune! You answer so many of our questions and “what ifs”.

[yamagirrl]

I predict that you can bake with cold oven! I already love the method you shared with pre-heat 500, bake dough in Dutch oven off for 20 then bake for 450 method. Can’t wait to watch on and learn!

[hexefroschbein]

Airfryer from cold also works really well. To get the loaf bottom a darker color, slip immediately out of the form, turn it on it's head onto a little trivet in the fryer, then give it another 5 mins. For every day small loaves this is quite useful and convenient too.

[szaboaz]

Is it possible that the custom of long preheating comes from the traditions of the old wood burning oven?
My 70 years old parents still remember from their childhood that the iron tool used for cleaning out the hot ember needed to be throwing sparks when pulled on the heated surface, which was the customary way to check if the oven is hot enough for bread baking.

[laurademarrais]

I already know it works. I watch a British baker called Foodbod Sourdough. She does it all the time with porcelain kettles. I have tried it as well.

[HelloWorldETX]

THANKS
I first saw this on an “American Test Kitchen” video but I was so disbelieving that I completely rejected the idea. But now the same idea from you (someone I trust), so I’m going to try this in today’s bake.

[esalenchik]

I’m convinced. My next bake will be cold oven for the first loaf for 55 mins and then cover off for 10, then straight into the oven with the second loaf for 30 mins then cover off for 10 mins. Thanks for doing the hard work for us, Sune.

[jerrypritchett]

I have been doing the cold oven for years, two loaves by using 2 dutch ovens. 45 minutes covered in a cold oven set at 475° F, after 45 minutes, lower temperature to 400° F, uncovered for 20 minutes. Two loaves, perfect every time.

[ciaobela]

WOW~ That is super cool ! Especially b'cuz putting the dough into my super hot dutch oven makes me a little nervous --its also very heavy and I have a burn scar despite my being so careful. I loved the test !! TY Sune

[mikaelandersson]

Thanks, Sune! I tried your cold start method this weekend. Lower temp, shorter time to have oven on, less hassle with lifting scorching hot pans and the end result was still great. Good experiment, spread the word!

[yusufalipatel]

In a world of rising energy prices and climate concerns, this was a very welcome video. I'll definitely be less worried about pre-heating the oven now. Thanks!