Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Bread Oven, Cerise

I got the Le Creuset enameled cast iron bread oven as a gift for my husband, and he absolutely loves it!. Highly recommend it for serious bakers or anyone who appreciates quality cookware.Pros:•Excellent heat retention for perfectly baked bread•Durable enamel coating that’s easy to clean•Beautiful design that adds a touch of elegance to the kitchen•Versátiles, great for more than just breadCons:•It’s a bit heavy, but that’s part of its charm and quality•On the pricier side, but the performance and durability make it worth it

If you’re shopping this item, you know what it’s for and what its benefits are. Baking in a closed vessel traps steam to help give a boost to your oven spring. You can do it in your Dutch oven, so why this dedicated piece? Does it bake better? Not exactly. But it does bake a beautiful loaf. And its design with a shallow base and domed lid make handling it much easier.The major difference in this vs a Dutch oven is that you can remove the dome shaped lid easily mid cook, and allow more of your loaf to get direct heat from the oven so the crust comes out even. In that regard its design is great. The included instructions/recipe say to let your loaf proof right in the pan, covered. Which does work just fine. You can also proof normally in a basket if you like - it still works great. Some people have concerns about preheating Dutch ovens empty - I’m of the opinion that it’s fine because the whole thing is heating slowly and evenly with the oven. So I sometimes preheat this as well. Most often, I preheat the dome only, just so I’m not dealing with a 450 degree pan when I’m trying to put my loaf into it.The only negative - and it’s minor - is the rings and logo on the base. They prevent you from using the bread oven for anything else besides baking bread, so this is a true unitasker. I don’t need the bottom of my loaf to have circles and a ay le creuset on it (like the Dutch oven lids (see photo)). I’d rather have a smooth surface making it easier to slide a spatula underneath so I could use it for other things too.If you like baking bread, and find some therapeutic joy in the process this is a worthwhile purchase. If you’re more of a utility baker, there’s other options much cheaper that would work the same. Lodge makes a cast iron 5qt double dutch that has the same shallow pan as a lid, which mates to a Dutch oven to create basically the same design. its not enamel coated but it gets the job done just as well. I have one… I use the lid all the time for roasting other things in the oven, but I use this Le Creuset for baking bread because I just enjoy it more.

Great round baker for my sourdough. I have been baking sourdough for over two years and started out with a 5 quart Dutch oven and always worried about potential burns when I lowered the bread in at 475 degrees (I don’t wear mitts at this point because I lack the dexterity to get the job done). I do use my Dutch oven when I add inclusions. This bread baker is so much easier and creates a beautiful loaf.

Beautiful Lavender Color, long-lasting enamel, and perfect for learning to bake bread! Heavy-Duty and has substantial weight to it.

Love this so much!! I got into sourdough and was able to grab one of these on sale. It makes such a difference in the final result of my loaves and the color change of the lid in the oven always makes me so happy!! I used a Dutch oven before and it worked alright, but even my husband had to admit that there was a clear difference in the quality of loaves that I was getting from the new bread oven compared to the old Dutch oven. It’s super lightweight and very easy to keep clean

Amazing BreadThe quality is excellent. The bread baked crispy on the outside and perfect on the inside. Why did you pick this product vs others?:Name brand

Makes such great bread! Worth the investment.

La Cruset does not disappoint. Performs as advertised. Looks great.