Hey, Mama, if it ain't broke, no need to fix it. I was just asking.

Yes, Cathy, you can put a pan of water under the bread. Some bakers, such as Peter Reinhart, go that route. The idea is to heat the pan as the oven preheats, then pour-in a cup of water when you put the dough in, creating a burst of steam.

He usually combines that technique with spritzing the oven (rather than the bread).

Dan Leader recommends the ice-cubes in the pre-heated pan. His idea is that every time you open the oven to spritz you are lowering the temperature radically. With the ice-cubes you don't have to keep opening the door. Plus there's a safety issue. One drip on the glass door and you could be in the market for a new stove---or worse.

All of these techniques, and others, are meant as ways the home baker can replicate the injected-steam systems available on commercial ovens. And it's that steam that helps create a crisp crust.

If you care about the science behind it, first understand that a crust is formed by the caremalization of natural sugars (themselves a byproduct of the fermentation process). Steam (or any moisture) helps promote the formation of a sugar slurry on the surface of the dough.

That is very interesting. I do agree if you've got a system down why change mid-course. But I am going to try the hot pan with ice added. Good lordy I just hate the thought of breaking the darned oven door glass, I kind of picture a real klutz doing that number, and I am no klutz, but one never knows when one might change drastically overnight

Thanks KYH & MamaM

The CCC aint' for Klutz---just fo' de record!

You don't have to be a klutz, Cathy. All it takes is for the spritzer to leak.

Happened to a friend of mine. One drop on the glass when the oven was at 550F. Rather dramatic, she told me. And, of course, a new stove.

I'm very careful, when spritzing, to not hold the sprayer over the glass door, and to make sure none of the spray hits the lightbulb.

Wow I'll bet that did scare her and it could have cut her as well, not to mention clean up! Speaking of cost here if it really did happen that you leaked on the glass door the cost of replacing the stove would be more than buying the covered baker! Hummmm Good food for thought, and the stove at the new house does have a glass door, unlike the one we use now.

By the way KYH I am now going to have room to grow all the herbs I want to, and plenty of sunny areas. I am so excited! And we even had to buy.... A lawnmower! I feel like a kid in a candy store! And now I want a nice sewing machine and .....................well the list is so long! I am just jumping with joy, and the very best part, the big move is taking place on Fri while I am at work and all over by the time I get off all I will have to do is unpack and decorate!!! Now what more could a gal ask for!

Well, let's see......

A lady's maid.
A personal chef.
Somebody to dust, vacuum, and do the dishes.
A box of bon bons.
And, most of all, somebody to rub your feet.