Can anyone give me some advice about baking bread in a Smeg oven. I have had a Smeg oven for a few years. Just recently it has had a visit to the repair shop as the thermostat was not working properly. It has had 4 new thermostats put in and I hope it will work properly now.
Yesterday I made 2 loaves. One a Multigrain sourdough and the other a Cinamon Raisin Sourdough. Baked @ 190 C, fan-forced for 60 minutes. The rise was not too bad but the crumb is very dense, almost doughy. I did take a temperature in the middle of the loaves, which was 91C, which indicated that they were cooked. They also sounded hollow when tapped. The crust is almost burnt on the edges. The multigrain was a batard and the cinamon loaf in a loaf pan. I poured a cup of hot water into the pan beneath the stone, to create steam, when I put them into the oven.
The repairman has said that I am not to turn up the heat beyond 200C for longer than 10 minutes, and then reduce it to 180C. The oven is 'supposed to burn Hotter than other ovens'. Unfortunately, doesn't seem to be hot enough. Any suggestions?
Replies
if you cant get another oven you should get another repair man!
was he serious?.. 200C for ten minutes?.. i would contact the smeg distributors.
sorry if this isnt helpful
Thanks philly. Unfortunately, the repairman is from the Smeg service place here in Melbourne. They had the oven for 3 weeks, changed the thermostat 4 times and sent it back saying that it was fixed.
Yesterday, I tested the oven temperatures. I set it on 200C, fan-forced and waited for it to pre-heat. After a 1/2 hour, the temperature reached 180C. I then turned it off and let it cool. When cooled, I then set it to 180C, fan-forced and again waited for the 1/2 hour for the pre-heat to get to temperature. The thermometer, in the oven, then read 160C and did not increase at all. I let it run for 1 1/2 hours. I also measured the temperature at 15 minute intervals. Totally frustrating!
I then baked my Rye Sourdough bread. I set the oven at 230C, it reached 200C and did not go any higher.I put the boule in on the stone, misted the walls and closed the door. Baked for 1 hour. It came out about 8" round and 1 1/2" high and dark brown. Not so happy!
I hope to talk to the demonstrator for Smeg if I can track her down. Wish me luck!
You might try placing a sheet of aluminum foil on the shelf above the bread dough, keep the pan of water on the upper shelf, turn on the oven fan, and of course, preheat the oven. I expect the bread will not brown well under these conditions, so you may want to remove the water and the foil during the last few minutes of baking, maybe even turning off the fan.
Smeg oven repairs