Do You Have the (Pizza) Stones..?
Pizza stones, baking stones…If you occasionally bake pizzas or breads at home, this is a must have kitchen utensil.
A heavy, flat and unglazed piece of stone, ceramic or earthenware, these baking stones are used to distribute heat more evenly in an oven. Their porous nature allows them to absorb moisture, resulting in a crispier crust on pizzas or breads. They are also excellent for baking cookies, puff pastries and the like.
Pizza stones are easy to locate and reasonably priced. Our favorites are the round Pampered Chef version, or the rectangular model from Old Stone Oven. They both do a commendable job.
And now for the tips and tricks section of today’s blog:
Do not wash these stones with soap, as they are porous and will absorb whatever comes in contact with the surface. A scrape and a rinse with water is all that is needed and they will season in a similar manner to a cast-iron pan. Some experts do recommend a brush with olive oil afterward – we will leave that up to your discretion.
Preheat the stones in the oven – this is better for both the stone (they can occasionally crack) and the pizza or bread, as the heat is already built up on the surface.
A little cornmeal on the stone as well as the baking peel will help ease the movement of the pizza to and from the stone. Many people also use parchment paper and slide the pizza as needed.
A heavy, flat and unglazed piece of stone, ceramic or earthenware, these baking stones are used to distribute heat more evenly in an oven. Their porous nature allows them to absorb moisture, resulting in a crispier crust on pizzas or breads. They are also excellent for baking cookies, puff pastries and the like.
Pizza stones are easy to locate and reasonably priced. Our favorites are the round Pampered Chef version, or the rectangular model from Old Stone Oven. They both do a commendable job.
And now for the tips and tricks section of today’s blog:
Do not wash these stones with soap, as they are porous and will absorb whatever comes in contact with the surface. A scrape and a rinse with water is all that is needed and they will season in a similar manner to a cast-iron pan. Some experts do recommend a brush with olive oil afterward – we will leave that up to your discretion.
Preheat the stones in the oven – this is better for both the stone (they can occasionally crack) and the pizza or bread, as the heat is already built up on the surface.
A little cornmeal on the stone as well as the baking peel will help ease the movement of the pizza to and from the stone. Many people also use parchment paper and slide the pizza as needed.