Professional Techniques for Home Bakers

Steam Without Steam Injection

Professional ovens inject steam. Home alternatives: - Dutch Oven: Traps steam naturally - Ice Cubes: On preheated pan below - Spray Bottle: Mist oven walls - Towel Method: Wet towel in pan - Lava Rocks: Hold and release moisture

Kurdish-French baker Dilan Özkan shares: "In refugee camps, we baked in converted metal drums with wet cloths. Now I have professional ovens, but those lessons made me creative. Limitation teaches innovation."

Temperature Management

Most home ovens lie about temperature. Solutions: - Oven thermometer: Essential investment - Preheat longer: 45-60 minutes - Baking stone/steel: Holds heat steady - Know your oven's personality: Hot spots, temperature swings

Scaling Recipes

Professional recipes make huge batches. For home use: 1. Identify baker's percentages 2. Decide total dough weight needed 3. Calculate ingredient weights 4. Adjust fermentation times (smaller doughs ferment faster)