Many people use their Fontana wood-fired bakehouse mainly for pizza, stews or bread. It is equally well suited to baking sweet treats and delicate pastries. The key is temperature control — it takes practice and familiarity with your own oven. If you know your oven, you can make the most of the falling heat and plan an entire bake day.
Why the Fontana wood-fired bakehouse is ideal for sweet baking
Wood-fired bakehouses store a lot of heat in the fireclay and the dome. After firing up, the temperature falls slowly and evenly. This "falling heat" is perfect for a baking sequence that runs from robustly baked bread through cakes to biscuits and delicate yeast pastries.
How to plan your bake day with falling temperature
1) Preheating
Heat the oven to about 280 °C. Distribute the embers evenly and sweep the baking chamber clean before loading. Then let the temperature stabilise briefly.
2) Bread first
Wait until the temperature begins to fall, then load the loaves and bake with the falling heat. When the bread is done, add a little wood if needed to reach a stable temperature for the next stage.
3) Cakes at approx. 200–220 °C
Load cakes and allow the oven temperature to fall gradually. Do not add more wood now, so the baking chamber remains calm and even.
4) Biscuits and yeast pastries at approx. 180 °C
At around 180 °C you can bake biscuits, yeast pastries, stollen, striezel or Rohrnudeln. Baking times will vary depending on the recipe and the thickness of the tray.
5) Delicate pastries under 160 °C
At lower temperatures it’s time for waffles in moulds, croissants or Danish pastries. The gentle heat protects delicate doughs and ensures even browning.
Note: The temperature ranges given are tried-and-tested guidelines and may vary slightly depending on oven, dough and load.
Practical tips for consistent results
- Check the temperature: measure at several points in the baking chamber before loading. An oven or infrared thermometer helps with assessment.
- Prepare the baking chamber: sweep out the ash so trays and moulds sit cleanly and the bottom heat acts evenly.
- Rotate trays: turn baking sheets and moulds occasionally during baking so everything browns uniformly.
- Door management: work quickly and avoid leaving the oven door open longer than necessary so stored heat is preserved.
- Choose the right moulds: for waffles and sweet baking, heavy moulds (e.g. cast iron) are ideal because they transfer heat steadily to the dough.
Use energy efficiently
By aligning the baking order with the falling oven temperature you get a lot out of a single heating: bread to last several days, tins of filled biscuits, cake for afternoon coffee and delicate pastries for immediate snacking — all on one bake day. Wood is a renewable fuel; by planning in this way you can often reduce heating cycles and trips.
Ideas for sweet selections
- Cakes and batter-based mixes at about 200–220 °C
- Biscuits, stollen, striezel and Rohrnudeln at about 180 °C
- Waffles in moulds, croissants and Danish pastries under 160 °C
Accessories that make the bake day easier
- Baking and waffle moulds with good heat retention
- Peels and heat-resistant gloves
- Oven or infrared thermometer to monitor the baking chamber temperature
- Baking sheets in the right size for quick swaps
With some experience in temperature management the Fontana wood-fired bakehouse becomes a reliable sweets station — especially in the cold season.
