Frequently asked questions

• What does enamelled cast iron mean, and does it need seasoning?

  Enamelled cast iron has a glass-based coating fused to the iron, so it does not need seasoning. This includes matte black enamel, which can look similar to bare cast iron. Pre-seasoned cast iron has no enamel coating and is instead protected with a layer of baked-on oil, so it needs to be kept dry and lightly oiled as required.

• Which Lareina bread baker should I choose for sourdough?

  Choose mainly by the shape of bread you usually bake. The Round Bread Oven suits boules, the Oval Bread Oven suits batards and other oval loaves, and the Loaf Pan Set is for loaf-shaped sourdough and sandwich-style slices. All three allow the dough to bake covered during the first part of the bake.

• Can I bake sourdough in a cast iron loaf pan instead of a Dutch oven?

  Yes. A covered cast iron loaf pan is a practical alternative if you prefer a loaf shape with more even, slice-friendly portions. Lareina's Loaf Pan Set uses one pan for the dough and the second as the cover, so you can still bake sourdough in a covered environment rather than baking it open.

• Do I need to preheat the Bread Oven or Loaf Pan before baking sourdough?

  Not with Lareina's first-bake method. Preheat the oven, but keep the Bread Oven or Loaf Pan at room temperature before loading and scoring the dough. This avoids having to handle a very hot cast iron base while placing the loaf, and you can adjust the method later to suit your own recipe and oven.

• What size should I choose for sourdough?

  For the Round Bread Oven, around 900 g of total dough is a useful starting point. For the Loaf Pan Set, start with around 750 g in the 23 × 13 cm pan or around 1.2 kg in the 33 × 13 cm pan. Choose the pan around the loaf size and shape you normally bake rather than simply buying the largest option.