Bake bread in a cast iron pot - tips & recipes for pot bread

Is there anything better than enjoying a long, stress-free breakfast with freshly baked bread? We don't think so! Even though the ingredients for bread are not particularly expensive, the costs can quickly add up if you buy freshly baked bread from a bakery. Therefore, it's a good idea to bake your own bread! There are many different ways to bake bread, and baking bread in a cast iron pot is one variation. But how do you actually bake bread in a cast iron pot instead of on a baking sheet?

Using a cast iron pot for baking bread has become increasingly popular over the years as the cast iron pot acts like a mini oven. By preheating the cast iron pot, heat is created that gives the bread a fluffy soft inside and a crispy outside - homemade bread just like from the bakery. Here we share our best recipes and tips for achieving the perfect pot bread.

Can you use a cast iron pot in the oven?

A cast iron pot has many more functions than just cooking a stew. It works just as well on the stove as in the oven and can therefore be used for both cooking and baking bread or other treats. With us at Dorre, you will find cast iron pots for all types of cooking, such as a enamelled cast iron pot perfect for baking bread, or a large cast iron pot for you who want to cook for many.

3 recipes for easy-to-bake cast iron bread

Simple cast iron bread with dry yeast

Do you find it difficult to make good bread? This recipe for bread in a cast iron pot with dry yeast is easy to bake and is a perfect breakfast bread for both luxurious weekend breakfasts and when you want to impress your guests. 

Du behöver:

8 dl wheat flour
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp dry yeast
4 dl cold water

Så gör du:

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a bunke with a spoon or ladle. Add water and mix until the dough is sticky.
2. Cover the bowl with plastic and let it sit at room temperature for 12-18 hours.
3. Varm the oven to 225 degrees and place a cast iron pot with the lid on in the oven.
4. Take the dough out onto a floured surface and fold towards the center. Place the bread in a bowl lined with parchment paper with the seam side down. Let it rise under a kitchen towel for 30 minutes. 
5. Sift wheat flour over the bread and optionally make one or more cuts with a sharp knife.
6. Take the pot out of the oven and carefully lift the dough with the parchment paper into the cast iron pot. Put on the lid and bake in the lower part of the oven for 30-35 minutes. 
7. Lift off the lid and bake for another 10-15 minutes if you want the bread to have a well-baked crust. 
8. Take the pot out of the oven, lift the bread with the parchment paper and place it on a rack to cool slightly before slicing it.

Bread in cast iron pot with fresh yeast

If you want a really juicy bread, this recipe is for you! This bread turns out just like the luxurious loaves you buy at the bakery, with a fluffy inside and a crispy crust. Plus, it's easy to make! 

Du behöver:

6 dl wheat flour
25 g yeast
1 tbsp honey
3 dl lukewarm water (37 degrees)
salt

Så gör du:

1. Lös upp jästen i fingervarmt vatten i en bunke och blanda i salt och honung. 
2. Add a little flour at a time and mix until the dough pulls away from the edges. Sprinkle with flour and let rise for 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
3. Take the dough out onto a floured surface. Sprinkle some flour over it and fold in the edges before placing the dough back into a floured bowl with the seam side down. 
4. Let rise under a cloth for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 230 degrees and place a cast iron pot in the oven with the lid on.
5. Take out the pot and pour in some neutral oil. Take the dough out of the bowl onto a floured surface and place it in the cast iron pot with the seam side up. Put on the lid and bake in the oven with the lid on for 30 minutes. 
6. Take off the lid and let the bread bake for another 15 minutes until it has a nice color. 
7. Lift the bread carefully out of the pot and let it cool before slicing it.

Sourdough bread in cast iron pot

Letting you look for a delicious recipe to bake with your sourdough? This sourdough bread is a perfect breakfast bread that keeps you full or as a side dish to your meal. Here we go through how to bake sourdough bread in a cast iron pot.

Du behöver: 

Sourdough
3.5 dl water
10 dl wheat flour
3 tsp salt 

Så gör du:

1. Mix sourdough, water, wheat flour, and salt in a bowl. Mix into a dough and cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let it rise for 3-6 hours at room temperature.
2. When the dough has risen, take it out onto a floured surface and shape it by folding the edges towards the center and then turn the dough upside down. 
3. Flour the top of the dough, place a baking cloth in a colander and place the dough with the smooth side down. Cover the dough with the baking cloth and let it rise for another 1-3 hours. 
4. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and place the cast iron pot with the lid on. When the oven is hot, take out the pot, place a baking paper inside, and turn the dough into the cast iron pot. Make a few cuts in the dough with a sharp knife or scissors. Bake in the oven with the lid on for 25 minutes and an additional 25 minutes with the lid off to achieve a nice crust. 
5. Take the bread out of the oven and carefully turn it out of the pot to cool before slicing the bread and enjoying it.

Do you want fresh bread often but don't feel like making a new dough every time? Read more about how to create your own sourdough and how to take care of it.

Do you want more inspiration? Read all articles here