The Challenger Bread Pan - for the Crustiest Loaf

After using his own experiences while learning to bake bread, Jim Challenger set about designing his ideal covered baker and the Challenger Bread Pan is the result. With a fast-growing and passionate community of users of the cast-iron pan, it has been designed to be long-lasting, very high performing and ergonomically designed. It is shaped to accommodate both round and oval loaves while having handles positioned for easy use and to be big enough for use while wearing oven gloves. The shallow base and tight-fitting lid means that it is both easy to introduce and remove dough and will retain the all-important steam needed for the bake for the development of the perfect crust.

Enclosing your dough while it bakes gives several advantages. First, it helps to overcome any unevenness in the oven (which most have) for an even bake. A covered baker that holds lots of heat like the cast-iron Challenger Pan gets and keeps the dough really hot and quickly. This is ideal for the baking dough as it is the first 20 minutes especially where the oven spring and crust develops. The steam generated by the baking dough is trapped and this helps to colour the crust and to give it perfect crispiness.

Materials:

The pan is made in foundries in the United States from cast iron mixed with small amounts of carbon, manganese, sulphur and phosphorous to the highest performance.

 

Dimensions:

Exterior (includes handles): 15.4 x 10.2 x 5.4” (392 x 260 x 136mm)

Interior: 12.3 x 9.6 x 5” (310 x 239 x 127mm)

 

Weight:

Total: 21.9lb (9.9kg)

Lid: 12.6lb (5.7kg)

Base: 9.3lb (4.2kg)

 

Warranty: 1 year manufacturer guarantee