Granite slab as baking stone...

I have just got a terracota tile and wound the oven as high as it would go+- 250 for about an hour before I put it back to baking temp and no probs at all and also cooked piza on it at the highest setting and agian no probs with cracking.

I'm using a granite slabs fore baking since a coupleof years, granite is a very great choice. My actual stone is unpolished, I think there isn't any problem, but the slab in commercial sold "Hot Stones"( a type of raqulette) is polished.

There was a discussion on Dan Lepards forum about this, apparently granite is fine. Just give a 1" slab plenty of time to warm up.
Don't make the mistake that I do at least twice a year, don't put a cold stone into a hot oven. Sometimes I put the oven on and forget the stone for a while and of course when I put the stone in, CRACK!
Give the stone a good wash, let it [b]completely[/b] dry in the sun, and give it a good baking at your normal baking temp which should sterilise the stone and cook off any nasties.

Hi Don,
I've never used baking soda in the wash but I can't see it doing any harm. I use an unglazed unsealed quarry tile myself and now and then give it a scrub with normal washup detergent and rinse well.
I haven't used one of those terracotta trays myself but I remember reading somewhere that a terracotta flower pot is good for baking a Pannetone, it gives the authentic cone shape. Now that's a project worth a try, except a flop would be an expensive mistake due to the cost of the ingredients.
No baking for a couple of days, have to go down to the workshop and make a batch of Lame's.

[quote="donyeokl"]
Bet you've got lots of orders for that wonderful looking Lame's... Its a wonderful piece of work. BTW, how do you actually mount the blade onto the handle?
Cheers...
Don
[/quote]

Don, the lame is split where you see the two screws, the screws close the wood tightly to pinch the razorblade.

[quote="donyeokl"]
Hi Bill,

Cool... Think I will go buy a piece and have a go. Am worried that it will crack or break into pieces once heated. They seem to have lots of small holes and looks rather porous...
Cheers...
Don
[/quote]

Don, those terracotta pieces are fired at a temperature far higher than you will ever cook at so I don't think there is a problem with them cracking, so long as you make sure they are very dry. Terracotta will readily absorb moisture.

Hi, I am new and trying to make my first starter.

I am reading Wild Sourdough book and it recommends a granite tile as the most effective base for bread baking. But it recommends a tile not thicker than 10 mm, (0.4 in).

Does anyone know where I can get a granite tile??