Patent ID: 7745763

Claim:
A method of baking bread using steam during a cooking cycle in an automated household oven with a cooking cavity, a steam system for introducing steam into the cooking cavity, a heating system for heating the cooking cavity, a control panel, and a controller operably coupled to and controlling the steam system, the heating system, and the control panel for implementing the cooking cycle, the method comprising: receiving input from the user regarding the selection of a bread cooking cycle having a cooking time and cooking temperature via the control panel; preconditioning the cooking cavity by actuating the heating system to increase the temperature of the cooking cavity to a first temperature greater than the cooking temperature and greater than a vaporization temperature of water; indicating to the user the completion of the preconditioning of the cooking cavity via the control panel; maintaining the temperature of the cooking cavity at the first temperature after the indicating to the user of the completion of the preconditioning of the cooking cavity; determining a presence of bread in the cooking cavity after the indicating to the user of the completion of the preconditioning of the cooking cavity based on at least one input received by the controller; terminating the preconditioning of the cooking cavity after the determining of the presence of bread in the cooking cavity; and after the terminating of the preconditioning of the cooking cavity, initiating the baking of the bread by: reducing the temperature of the cooking cavity from the first temperature to the cooking temperature and then maintaining the temperature of the cooking cavity at the cooking temperature for the cooking time by actuating the heating system; and introducing steam into the cooking cavity by activating the steam system.