Baking Shell

Turning Tradition on Its Head

Baking great bread has never been easier with our new Baking Shell! Simply place the ultralight shell over your loaf to trap steam and create the ideal environment for that classic dough rise. No preheating is required. Then lift the shell off halfway through baking for a deliciously crispy crust. The Baking Shell is lightweight and easy to handle, and gives the same results as a traditional cast iron vessel, but with none of the stress of lugging around a searing hot and heavy piece of metal. The most frantic part of bread baking is now the easiest!

Whether you prefer to bake a boule or batard, we have a baking shell fitted to your preferred loaf shape. Pair the shell with the Bread Steel, a pre-seasoned steel that’s the perfect balance of thickness and weight for baking bread.

How It Works:

• Turn your bread dough onto a flat surface, such as non-rimmed baking sheet. Placing parchment paper under the dough makes transfer into the oven easier. Alternatively, you can use a floured peel.
• Slide the dough into the pre-heated oven onto a flat surface such as a steel or stone. For best results, we recommend using the Brod & Taylor Bread Steel.
• Place the shell over the dough immediately. Uncover halfway through baking for a crispy crust.
• Typical baking time and temperature is 20 minutes covered and 15-20 uncovered at 450-475°F / 230-245°C.

The Baking Shell creates the perfect environment for baking great bread. Heat quickly passes through the shell while it also traps steam–the perfect combination for the classic sourdough rise and a crackling crispy crust.

If cleaning is required, use mild soap and a soft sponge. Do not use abrasive cleaners or scrubbers. Dishwasher not recommended.  See the shell in action in our Beginner's Sourdough Recipe.

Bread Steel

The Key to Baking Excellence

The Bread Steel is the perfect balance of thickness and weight for baking great bread. It comes pre-seasoned with flax oil and ready-to-use. Light enough to handle easily and heats quickly.

All oven steels are not created equal. There are many choices for pizza steels or stones or cookie sheets. But bread is not a pizza or a cookie. Pizza steels are heavy to retain heat, but for bread this often results in burning the bottom of loaves. Cookie sheets can't take the heat of bread baking and will warp.

Baked bread resting on the Bread Steel inside the oven.