How to Generate Steam in a Home Oven

Certain dishes benefit from a little steam. Professional bakers have specialized steam ovens. An injection of steam at the beginning of baking keeps the outer layer of dough moist and allows the bread to rise as long as possible. Once the steam dissipates, the outer layer becomes a crisp, brown crust. The result is an expertly turned loaf of bread -- moist and fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. If you want to create similarly professional results at home, you can re-create this technique in your own stove.

Things You'll Need

• Cast-iron skillet

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Fill a clean cast-iron skillet halfway with room-temperature water.

   • 2

     Place the cast-iron skillet in the oven on the bottom rack. You can either put the skillet in as the oven preheats or wait until the oven reaches the desired baking temperature, then put the skillet in 15 minutes before you place the bread in the oven. Either method will give you the requisite amount of steam.

   • 3

     Bake the bread for the amount of time recommended by your recipe. Leave the skillet in the oven the entire time.