Tulikivi LogoFew family activities give as much enjoyment as baking breads and pizzas on the hearth of a Tulikivi oven. Owners of Tulikivi ovens quickly become dedicated experts in this variety of baking.  The basic procedure for baking in a Tulikivi oven is illustrated below.


 
Loaded oven

 Ideally, the oven should be heated the day before baking, so it is not dead cold. Fill the oven with crisscrossed wood, being sure to allow plenty of air spaces.

     

Open the damper and oven draft. Place paper balls and kindling in front of the fuel charge and fire away. Add wood until the desired temperature is reached, which may take several loads.

   Loaded oven with kindling
     
Coals in oven

Push coals and ash down the ash dump slot to the grate below. Close the bake oven draft door. Open the ash box draft door and stir the embers on the grate to encourage them to burn out.
     

Let the oven “soak” for 30-45 minutes. Brush remaining ash down the dump slot with a horsehair or wire brush. Swab the oven floor with a damp oven mop. Close the ash door draft and main damper when the fire is completely out.

 Sarah with mop
     
Bread loaves in oven

Test the oven floor with a bit of cornmeal or flour. If it turns black quickly, the oven is too hot. Let it soak longer. Note that the temperature gauge is in degrees Celsius. 
     
A pizza will cook in about 4 minutes on the hearth when the oven is 300° C. Most breads bake well at between 200° C and 250° C. Casseroles and meats like temperatures between 150° C and 200° C. ENJOY!
 Pizza in oven