Baking in a Cloche
There are many ways to get a crusty loaf of bread, but one of our favorites is to use the tried and true method of baking in a clay cloche, here, the Emile Henry brand cloche. It is very similar to using a Dutch Oven, but the cloche was designed to bake bread, so it is an even more intuitive method. In other words, you aren’t lowering the bread into the piping hot vessel, you just lift the lid and slide the loaf onto what is essentially a baking stone. The cloche traps the steam from the dough to create a perfectly crisp and beautifully shiny crust, without having to add steam to the oven.
This loaf was made with the Master Recipe from The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day:1 pound of Master Recipe from TheNewABin5
Shape the loaf into a ball and let it rest for 40 to 90 minutes on a piece of parchment or a Pizza Peel covered in cornmeal.
The dough will rise, but may not double in size, this is perfectly normal for this method.
About 40 minutes before baking, preheat your cloche to 450°F.
Slide the loaf onto the bottom part of the cloche. Put the cover on and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue baking for 5 to 10 minutes,
or until the loaf is a deep caramel color.
Remove the loaf from the cloche and parchment to allow it to cool completely on a wire rack. If you leave it on the parchment, the bottom crust will not be as crisp.
This loaf was rested for about 90 minutes, and you can see that it has a nice open crumb. If you are in a hurry you can reduce it to 40 minutes.
Note: Red Star Yeast (Lesaffre Corp) sponsored this post, and supplied yeast for recipe testing. Emile Henry also sponsored, and provided the cloche for testing. BreadIn5.com is reader supported–when you buy through links on the site, BreadIn5 LLC earns commissions.
Your previous books are to die for. I can’t wait to see what yummy stuff is on your new book. I use many of your recipes. Pizza crusts and breads. Thank you so much for your insights!
I make your basic recipe every week. My family loves it. I’ve been looking for a bread cloche and this one is perfect. Thanks for showcasing it in the article.
Love making artisan bread at the cabin! This would be a beautiful way to make and share this wonderful bread.
love artisan bread recipes and have shared with family!
This looks like so much fun. I’ve never tried this method but am definitely interested. would love to win! thanks for the giveaway.
Just bought your new book yesterday. I’m really excited to try your method. I’m hoping it brings fresh bread back to our home!
Your methods changed my bread baking ways forever! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
I make a batch of your bread every week. Friday I ran out of gold metal ap flour and had to sub part with whole wheat pastry flour and gold metal bread flour. It was still great!
I would love to try baking bread in a cloche! Have all of your books and have given them as gifts.
I make a loaf if your bread almost every day for my family. It is the best recipe I have come across. So easy and yet so good! My friends ask me to bring it for holidays, parties and even when we go camping.
I do a lot of baking in the Dutch oven, and I would love to try the cloche! Sounds great! You guys are the best!
I love your approach and have been baking fresh bread weekly for more than a year now! Thank you both for sharing the Master Recipe with us. A cloche is an interesting twist that I haven’t tried yet; I imagine it would create a very crisp crust…though it probably makes it a bit more work to check on your baking bread than just turning the oven light on!
this would be a perfect gift for me! Love healthy bread in 5! Would love to try this method!
We are so grateful for all your books. It is so special to be able to have bread on an every day basis! I love being able to fill my home with the smell of bread and then feed it to my family. Thank you!
Just made your Peasant Bread and your chocolate-chocolate chip bread. Two loaves of each. They turned out beautiful. Right now they are cooling on the counter… I can’t wait to have a taste. I’d love to try that beautiful bread cloche.
*That* is a beautiful loaf of bread!… Am putting your new book on my wishlist… Thanks for the inspiration!
As a new bread baker and fan, I’d love to win this. Thanks for the chance.
love the cloche idea!
I make the master dough recipe every few weeks and use them for pizza, rolls, and occasionally bread. The cloche looks like an easy way to get a crispy loaf.
Never heard of a cloche before. I think it would be great to try it.
omg- I LOVE making Bread!!!!!!
I love your earlier books and can’t wait to try the recipes in this latest book. There is nothing better than the smell of freshly baked bread throughout the house. Thanks for making that much easier.
I love your 5 minute bread, and have been making on a pizza stone. I’d love to win the cloche and try it out!
I have been wanting to try cloche baking ….and this seams like the best one!
I love making your bread recipes. I’ve made many of the GF ones for family and friends. Thank you for making bread baking so easy and delicious!
Love anything that helps make baking bread easier!
a new bread baker also…I have a bread oven next to my very large Rumford fireplace with crane. Can’t wait to try out your great recipes!
Want to up my game when it comes to baking bread. There is nothing like a great crusty bread.
Have all 3 books and would love an update.
thanks for all your efforts
This looks delicious!
WE LOVE ARTISAN BREAD IN 5!!! I’ve been making bread à la style de pain d’artisan en 5 (:-)) for many years now… HUGE favorite during the holidays with all kinds of dips and spreads! Thanks so much for the recipes and instructions!
I’ve been baking from your first book since it came out. I especially like your olive dough which is very versatile. I also convert conventional bread baking to your method. I normally do my dough one day and bake the next. I never used a cloche before and I bet the loave comes out great. Being retired I love baking bread and using your recipes.
I’ve been doing ABin5 for about 3 years, and have recently switched form stone to dutch oven. Nicer crusts. Would love to try a cloche.
I love it.
I have your HBin5 book and make pizza, pita, buns and bread often. I’d love to win a copy of your new book!
What a wonderful collection of goodiea– thank you for the chance!
I’ve got a couple of your books – will be checking the link to what’s changed in the new version. I’ve never baked in a cloche – looks great, I’d love to try it!
How exciting. I would love to win this.
Just made your artisan bread last night! I would love to try out this cloche!
Love it all! Please enter me. Thx.
…When I was first married, back in the 80’s, we used to have a magical, old steel tank of a GE oven, (perhaps from the 40’s?) that was as much a piece of art as an incredible bread making machine! A pizza stone, a pan of water, & oh! The most glorious loaves would emerge. This cloche may just bring back some of the magic of those years of beautiful loaves….It would be a great treat to win! Cheers!
I was given your book as a Christmas gift last year and just recently began using it. My family loves having fresh bread each day and I enjoy baking bread again!
I love your book not only for the techniques but also because it’s easy to follow.
Looking forward to reading and baking with the new edition!
This would be an awesome gift! I love both of your books & I’m looking forward to purchasing the new bread in 5 (unless I win this 🙂 lol). I had never heard of baking this way but I am new to this. Love love love your books!
The cloche is adorable! The bread is beautiful as well. Happy holidays to all of you!
Even if I don’t win, I’m definately going to look into getting a cloche for baking. It sure looks easier than trying to get the bread in and out of my dutch oven.
My friend has a cloche and her bread is perfect every time. I have several of your books and enjoy making bread ‘in 5 minutes’ Continued success!
Ever since I found your book on making bread, it has truly changed my life! Thank you!
I have your first 3 books and I bought my 3 daughters each your new one for Christmas. I would love to have a new one also….I make breads from your books about 95% of the time:) I have given your first book for gifts several times!
Wow, looks similar to a Tagine but without the conicle shape! I have been baking bread in my enameled cast iron Dutch ovens, the cloche would be a great addition. Also, it looks like the crust would be similar to a San Louis Sourdough/bagel type crust sans the boiling of the dough (Which is quite difficult to achieve logistically with a two pound loaf.). Would love to have dependable Gold Medal flour, the premium yeast and your new book too!
Your insightful blogs and beautiful breads are so inspiring!