Flower pot as a cloche

[John Fahle]

As some of you know, I don't have a WFO, but I have a fairly serious gas oven with a pizza stone. The last time I made bread, I heated a large terra cotta flower pot to 550F along with the stone, then inverted it over the bread. Got a decent crust out of it (not as good as the WFO, but passable) and fantastic spring. Halfway through I vented it by placing firebricks (which had also been preheated) under the flower pot on two sides.

Just thought I'd pass this along to my WFO-deficient cohort.

[dmun]

Re: Flower pot as a cloche

This four quart pyrex bowl works good too, on a pizza stone or a WFO floor.



As an added bonus, you can see through it, to see if your bread is getting too brown.

[Puy de Dome]

Re: Flower pot as a cloche

That's the first picture I habe see of that dome, Dmun. Is that the 'geodesic' design you made?

Looks fantastic with some soot markings on it.

Sorry if I'm behind the times - I did read your thread about the construction.

[dmun]

Re: Flower pot as a cloche

That picture was taken after a fire was started, and then not brought up to temperature because pizza night got delayed. It usually doesn't stay black very long.

[Puy de Dome]

Re: Flower pot as a cloche

Ah, yes, of course.

When the oven cools a bit, (or completely?) does it go back to being this sort of colour?

My guess is yes. Gives real definition to the joints in the bricks.

I know I'm only referring to the appearance of the oven, please don't think I'm overly concerned with at - I do appreciate the effectiveness of the round dome in the oven.