Overview
For this method, the oven is emptied of embers, cleaned, and door closed until it drops to the cooking temperature of 250°C or 482°F. It's the method used for breads, pies and tarts, cakes, etc.Closed fire cooking
| Once the oven is clean and the door closed, it's necessary to wait until the internal temperature drops to the famous 250°C or 482°F. Baking in the oven above this temperature is a sure way to burn the loaves. This waiting time can be rather long, depending on the oven and the time taken to heat it. |  |
| Once the temperature is reached, you can put in your loaves, making sure that they aren't touching each other, remembering that they will swell as they cook. Spreading the loaves out over the sole is always a delicate exercise. |  |
| Once the loaves are in the oven, it's time for the steam necessary to form a good golden brown crust. For information see this page |  |
| Cooking time is usually around 40 minutes, but you can leave them in the oven longer if you want a thicker crust. In any case, with a wood-fired oven if you put loaves in at the right temperature, they're unlikely to burn, as the oven temperature continues to drop slowly. |  |
| You might also like to try something surprising: "two hour (or more) bread", by leaving bread in the oven fully this long. It doesn't burn, but the crust becomes really thick and dark, and develops an amazing smell of roasted coffee. |  |
