How to bake foods in a wood-fired oven.

Wood Fired Baking Techniques.

Baking in a wood-fired oven makes the most delicious pies, cakes, desserts and pasta dishes you have ever tried.

Baking bread is the ideal cooking method after you have used the oven for a meal, once the oven is cooling down. You can also add steam to the baking process to achieve a crispy bread-crust by spraying some water towards the inner centre of the dome or by placing 2 o 3 ice cubes in a separate oven proof dish, the ice cubes will melt and will begin to release steam.

Step 1. Light up your wood-fired oven.

Follow the instructions on how to light a Fuego wood-fired oven and get your oven up to a temperature of around 225-250°C using kiln dried wood that has a moisture content of less than 20%.

Step 2. Prepare your foods.

Always use an ovenproof dish or casserole. Simply place your dish in the oven and keep your oven door closed. It may be a good idea to place your dish on a stand or an inverted pan or tray, so it doesn’t overcook.

Step 3. Regulate the temperature and bake your foods.

Using your metal peel or spade, move the embers to one side and allow the oven temperature to drop down to 150-200°C ready for baking.

The idea is to bake using the heat retained in the oven dome and floor at an air temperature of 150-200°C. You don’t want your fire to have a roaring flame when baking but some glowing embers are just fine.

If the glowing embers become stronger, open the oven door a touch, so that the inside of the oven doesn’t get smoky.

To maintain the baking temperature, keep the oven door closed for 30 minutes, then open it to check the floor temperature. If the oven is too hot, leave the door open for 10 minutes, then close the door for a further 5 minutes before checking the temperature again.

• Baking Recipes

Our Favourite Baking Recipes.