Excellent sources of heat and the ability to produce perfectly browned, crispy crusts describe most of the pizza stones sold today. Pizza baking stones make it possible to produce authentic pizzeria-style pies using your home oven. Choosing to buy one brand as opposed to another comes down to personal preferences about size and ease of use.
Instructions
1. Measure your oven to make sure the pizza stone you choose fits inside of it. Pizza stones range in size from 14 to 20 inches in width. Make sure the stone you pick allows ample room on all 4 sides so you can grip the stone on both ends to position and remove it from the oven.
2. Look for a pizza stone with straight rather than lipped edges. Straight-edged pizza stones require less effort in handling.
3. Pick up the pizza stone and hold it for a few minutes before buying it. Select a stone that is not too heavy for you to handle for at least 2 minutes.
4. Consider how large you intend to make your pizzas or other baked goods. Buy a stone at least 14 x 16 inches to make standard size pizzas.
5. Choose a stone with handles. This makes it easier to position and remove the stone from the oven.
6. Test the stone you purchase by heating it in a moderate oven for 1 hour. Return it to the store if it produces an unpleasant odor.
7. Buy a clay or ceramic stone, which produce superior quality breads and crusts. Stay away from cement stones, which are heavy and exude strong odors when heated for long periods of time.
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