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Baking Bread in Wolf Convection Steam Oven

10 years ago

Hi Everyone -

I've seen a number of helpful posts here on the Wolf Convection steam oven, but I'm still not sure how to use my new oven for baking bread. I've tried two different approaches, both with less than stellar results.
I've been baking bread in an conventional oven for a couple of years, using a baking stone and various steaming methods, and was hoping I could dispense with the dangers of pouring (or spraying) water into a hot oven to make steam.

In my new steam oven I've tried the "auto steam bake" setting and the convection steam setting, but the bread did not look steamed - no shiny crust, no real expansion. I'm using my stone, which barely fits, preheating it and the oven, then putting in the bread and adding steam.

Do I need to throw out my old approach? The recipes in the Wolf manual don't say anything about preheating or stones - are these just getting in my way?

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who's had more (and better) experience.

Featured Answer

philwojo99

10 years ago

I have been to a cooking demo for Wolf, twice actually, and you can ask a lot of questions there for sure. I have not been to a specific class, which I think would be even more helpful.

Heck if you do the dinner it is worth it just for the great food!

Keep us posted and best of luck to you.

Phil

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Comments (8)

philwojo99
10 years ago
I have not tried to bake bread in my Wolf Steam oven, so I am not 100% sure. But, being it is something new to you, why not try they way the recommend doing it rather than your old way and see how it turns out.

I don't pre-heat for other things I do in the steam oven and they turn out great. I also don't see the need for the stone in there for the bread, but I am not a bread baker/maker so that comment may be way off to be honest.

Personally I'd say give it a shot with the way they say to do it, even if it is with your own bread recipe, and see how it turns on then.

Please post back if you do try, I for one would like to know the results.

Phil
mjocean
10 years ago
Hi,

I am also experimenting with my steam oven. I have made bread several times with auto steam bake. While the bread came out good, I agree, not fabulous. Last time I tried using the Wolf Gourmet "Bread" feature. I thought the bread turned out better and will use this feature again. One caution, once you selet "bread" you then select level of doneness (I think it was light, medium, dark). I selected medium and checked the bread once the aroma of freshly baked bread filled the kitchen. Happy I did as the bread was definately done!
Best of luck. I hope more owners share their baking and cooking experiences with the Wolf steam oven. I will say, so far I love it!
MJ
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mcsla
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks MJ and Phil for your quick responses. I will try the Gourmet setting next, and see what happens if I don't preheat.

I just wish their documentation was clearer about the meaning of their settings. (For example - how much steam do you get when you use the convection steam setting?) I'm considering making the one-hour drive to one of their classes in December. If I learn anything helpful I will fill you in.
MCS
asalmon1
5 years ago
What setting do you use for proofing bread?

Marney
mjocean
5 years ago
When baking bread in the steam oven I preheat the pizza stone on the bottom rack. I use the convection steam mode. I do not steam while preheating stone. When I put the bread in the oven I turn on the steam for the first 8 minutes and then shut it off for the remainder of the bake. This works very well.

MJ
hacy_2307
3 years ago
Hi I am a beginner of bread baking. Hope someone can share their experiences/tips of using WCSO. Do you preheat the oven when baking bread? All the bread recipes asked to preheat the oven, but the Wolf instruction always said don't preheat. I followed Wolf's instruction (as I was using Auto Steam Bake), somehow my bread did not rise as high as expected, not sure if it is because of the pre-heat or just my dough was not proofed enough.

Thanks,

Cynthia
HU-51257485
last year
Have same issues with this oven. A comarison of backing same dough in their auto steam bake vs a tradional dutch oven approach in a conventional oven and the one out of the steam oven had only risen by half as much as the dutch oven method one, also curst was not as crisp or shiny... dissapointing!

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