Brod & Taylor Ultralight Baking Shell for Sourdough Bread (Batard) – No Preheating Needed for Crispy Crust and Even Baking

We were looking for something bigger than our 4.5 quart le Creuset Dutch over for baking our oval sour dough bread, which would have ended up weighing at least 15 lbs. Further research and we found this shell dome. We are very satisfied with the ease and lightness of this baking method. Our first loaf came out big, beautiful and perfectly baked. Never again will I use cast iron.

Works as described. It’s light weight and easy to use. The handle on the side instead of on top helps to place it over the boule with little effort. It heated up quickly and produced a nice crispy crust. Also, it’s very easy to clean.

Lately I started having issues baking sourdough breads. I used to use the iron cast bread ovens, however, the bottom of the breads were always overbaked. If I used the pizza stone and only the lid of the bread oven, my bread always had a flat top due to the height limit. This one has worked perfectly and provided enough oven spring. Also, it is super light weighted.

First loaf of bread had great oven spring and the bottom crust was thinner and easier to cut through than with the preheated cast iron dutch oven I have been using. I baked it on a stone with parchment underneath and launched it with a peel. It was so much easier than using the heavy and hot dutch oven. The boule size is plenty big for a batard and check the dimensions of your stone or steel to make sure it will fit. I took one star off because I think it is overpriced for what it is, but I am very happy with the function so far.

Great alternative to baking sourdough in cast iron Dutch oven. I use this with a cast iron pizza peel to bake my round loaves, much easier.

Overall I would say this is a great product if you make a lot of sourdough. The dome is lightweight and you get a good rise with it. It heats up fast and the knob in the front makes it very easy to grab out of the oven.

I bought the batard and discovered my 840g batards were rising into the ceiling of the shell. In 2 pictures you can see the darker patches on top if my batards. You can also see how the top is flattened in the crumb shots of two of them.Now, could I have made a 650g batard and gotten away with it? Sure, but I don’t want to. I want to make my recipes.I bought the Boule shell and baked a horribly overproofed 840g dough. The thing was absolutely massive. As you can see in the pictures, the top did not rise into the ceiling of the shell and from the crumb photo there is no longer a flat spot.While they are both advertised as 5.5” tall, the Batard shell comes to a point in the middle and is overall shorter than 5.5”. The Boule shell is a gentle curve where more of its height is 5.5”.No need to buy the Batard shell or both shells, buy the Boule shell and be done with it. It works great and much easier than a heavy Challenger pan or dealing with an upside down hotel pan (shoutout Modernist Bread).

Game changer. Light weight. And my bread came’s out perfect. Great crust. No need to preheat, like cast iron DO. And the metal bottom plate is a must. No more burnt bottoms with that plate. Very happy.