The Bakehouse in action

Experimental firing of the C19th bread oven.

On 25th November 2004 a baking trial and evaluation took place in the farmhouse bakehouse, following the cleaning of the chimney earlier this year. Using dough which had been mixed off-site a loaf and rolls were prepared.

To assist rising in a room which though aired, has no heating and would not have been ideal for proving dough, a 50:50 wholemeal: white flour dough was used.

A photographic record shows the key stages. Times and oven temperatures were recorded using a domestic oven thermometer to assist with the evaluation.

Once the fire was lit the dough was left as near as possible to the oven.

9.30 a fire lit in the oven using a couple of handfuls of kindling and 5 twists of newspaper. It drew well and slithers of wood added as appropriate. The fire was situated in a central position in the oven and the door was left ajar.

9.50 375'F/ 190'C

10.05 440'F/220'C; dough kneaded and transferred to baking sheets as rolls and a small (approx I lb size) cottage loaf, then left to rise again.

10.25 350'F/180'C more fuel needed, and the door left only 2/3 closed.

10.35 550'F/280'C

10.40 Fire spread over oven floor to get it to reduce to ashes.

10.45. Ashes removed using shovel and wooden peel and put in bucket in ash pit beneath oven.

Oven floor swabbed with rags on a pole (a 'dolly') dipped in water to create a steamy atmosphere desirable for baking.

10.50 Bread placed in oven, loaf to back and rolls to front, temperature now reduced to 350'F/180'C

11.00 350'F/180'C

11.10 Rolls out, 325'F/170'C

11.20 Loaf out, 300'F/160'C

11.40 300'F/160'C

The resulting bread was pronounced very acceptable!