Bread baking question

[Ali in OR]

I like round loaves of bread, like what you can get at Great Harvest if you're familiar with that chain. I like to carve thick slices. My question is, if I want to bake a round on my own, can I use any bread recipe that I normally put in a loaf pan? Bake at same temp? Bake on a cookie sheet or a baking stone? Is baking time different, or is there a particular temperature where bread is done? Thanks.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Normal loaf recipe should be fine. Either cookie sheet ir stone. If you put some water in a pan in the bottom of the oven you should get a crustier bread if that is what you want. 

[Liz CA]

Yes, I hand shape loaves, either round or oblong. Any recipe you have been using should work.

[Pawz4me]

I bake round loaves in a cast iron Dutch oven. I have done them on a baking sheet, but the Dutch oven produces a little bit nicer looking loaf. You might want to browse the King Arthur Flour website. They have lots of articles about different methods for baking bread.

 

[regentrude]

I second the recommendation for the dutch oven. I have never gotten such a great crust before with loaf pans or baking sheets. 

[Pawz4me]

Here's the KA article on baking bread in a Dutch oven. I generally use the cold oven method because handling a very hot, somewhat heavy Dutch oven any more than necessary scares me a bit (I have RA, so my fingers and wrists aren't as strong as they used to be).