Quarry tiles

I've often considered a baking stone, or baking tiles for my oven.  Because I love to make bread, it just seemed something that would be inevitable, but every time I looked at them, I just couldn't justify the expense.  $40 may not seem like a lot, but if the results weren't measurably different, it's $40 down the drain, and I'm not a fan of money down the drain.

 

Today I did a search for 'DIY baking stone', and wouldn't you know it, someone had already found the cheap alternative.

Enter the unglazed quarry tile.  Six baking tiles for $40, plus shipping, or six unglazed quarry tiles (essentially the same thing), for $7.48, and a trip to the local flooring outlet.  It was a no brainer, but before I decided to buy them, I decided to see what my 'go-to' bread bloggers had to say, and I found that I am behind the 8-ball here.  Apparently, anyone that bakes bread, especially of the artisan variety, has been using these unglazed quarry tiles for some time now.  Those who have used both report no difference in results between the quarry tiles and the more expensive baking tiles sold online, and in most specialty baking shops.

That was all I needed.  Off I went, and for less than $8 I had my long 'hoped for' baking tiles, well, quarry tiles, but if the results are the same, I don't care what they're called.

I so love a deal...