Cast Iron Bread-Pan with Lid - incl. Sourdough Bread Baking Supplies - like Banneton Bread-Proofing Basket - 7.2QT Bread-Oven Dutch, Oven for Bread-Baking Cast Iron Pan Scoring Tool Lame Kit

Note: the kit does not include a bread sling, although it is mentioned in the enclosed booklet. A sling is Not mentioned in the webpage description. It was an error in booklet that will be corrected. In nearly 15 years of baking sourdough bread, I have never used a sling nor parchment paper, just preferring to gently dump the loaf into the preheated pan, then scoring and misting. IMHO, it is not a necessary tool.I purchased this because my Le Creuset stoneware oval baker cracked after many years of use. I have only used this one time. I did not want to spend $$$$$ for a new Le Creuset after the old one cracked.I did follow instructions to re-season the pan before fist use. And I did thoroughly "season" the basket liner with rice flour before first use.I had a lot of difficulty finding something with specific bottom, inside dimensions in the website descriptions to ensure it would long enough to accommodate the oval proofing baskets that I already own.Fortunately, this comes as a very complete kit with a basket. My former basket appears too long to me to use in this dutch oven.I used the same 78%-80% hydration 2 pound loaf+ recipe, 700g of fresh organic, stone ground spelt flour, water, 30% ripe, sourdough culture inoculation and minimal salt for the first attempt. The bread came out perfectly--no significant difference other than shape than what I got using the Le Creuset. And I really prefer the shape of this loaf.I have increased my standard recipe 20% for future loaves. The website claims the basket can hold 4 pounds of dough, and I believe that it can.Finally, I had reason to contact the seller via email through Amazon. The response was prompt, professional, courteous and they were eager to assist me to ensure customer satisfaction. I think you will be very pleased with this product and customer service care should it be needed.

My daughter was hit by the sourdough "bread baking bug," so I purchased the largest cast iron kit for her. She LOVES it, and has been using it for all sorts of creations. She's made beautiful breads, English muffins, mini pizzas, etc. I got the long wide one so that she could use it as a small skillet as well. We own many other cast iron products, and my husband and I were very impressed with the quality of this cast iron. I was impressed with the quality of the box, for shipping purposes, as other past cast iron items from different shippers have come broken, so I was worried about that, but this item came perfect. It is a fantastic kit and all the items are high quality.I own a stone bread baker, and to compare the loaves, I find the cast iron one bakes it differently- not in a bad way, just slightly different crust. Although I will mention my stone one is for long, thin loaves vs my daughters cast iron one for wide thick loaves.I am so happy that I got a high quality item that she can value for the rest of her life.Thank you for creating such a high quality product!

I use this for sourdough. Big round boule. This pan holds the shape and keeps the steam in. I’ve used Dutch ovens before—this one’s better for bread. Just feels right.Things I like:Heavy, solid, holds heatFits a 3 lb loaf easyLid keeps the steam in for a good riseBread doesn’t burn when I follow the preheat instructionsEasy to lift with handles on both sidesHere’s the recipe I use:750g King Arthur bread flour525g water300g sourdough starter (bubbly and ready)15g sea salt (add after autolyse)15g olive oil (optional)I mix flour, water, starter. Let it sit for 45 mins. Then I add the salt and oil, knead a few minutes, do stretch and folds every 30 mins for 2 hours. Let it rise until doubled. Cold proof overnight in the fridge. Bake the next day.Baking method:Preheat the baker at 500°F for 60 minutesBake at 450°F for 40 mins with the lid onThen 20-25 mins uncoveredCheck temp (205-210°F inside)Let it cool 1-2 hours before slicingBread comes out with a good crust and solid crumb. Big rise. I score it with a design before baking. Looks nice. My wife approves.Would buy this again. No question.

Such a great price! I also have to say that I really enjoy using the top as a pan. This is a huge 2 for 2 deal. Today I made baked chicken and threw some potatoes in and cover it with it's top. The chicken was done so quickly and was so tender and just. After my chicken was cooked through I took the top off and put it next to the pot in the oven, then added the potatoes I threw to the top to brown and crisp up. Let me tell you that my dinner came out amazing! Love this product. Everything that came with this package was useful!

I like this product, but it did not come with a bread sling like pictured and like described in the packaging materials when I received it. Not a huge loss, although it would've been nice to have the sling. The only reason I am giving this 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the missing bread sling.

I purchased this to bake my own bread. I haven’t had a chance to use it yet but will on this Friday. I’m looking forward to it. Love that it’s cast iron. It’s the size I wanted.

It is a little heavy for me but it makes bread beautifully and evenly. I use it twice a week. Excellent quality product. Worth the money. Wish it were a little smaller for smaller loaves of bread.