Information on the seasoning, use and maintenance of Biscotto stones

Dear customer, thank you for choosing Biscotto Stones International as your provider of the Biscotto floor. We hope you will be satisfied and that in the time to come you will learn to perfection the art of pizza baking.

Before first use
The stone has a top side and a bottom side. The top side has the smoothest surface, while the bottom side can be somewhat rough.
Burn-in takes place by placing the stone in the oven and baking at half power for 60 minutes. Then let the stone cool slowly down to room temperature before it gets a new roasting round, but now at full power, for 60 minutes. After this, the Biscotto stone is seasoned/cured and ready for use.

Cleaning and maintenance
When cleaning the Biscotto stone, it’s recommended to use a wet cloth when the stone has cooled down. Do not use soap and water. If you need to brush off items during use, please use a brush with ether soft Brass or Natural hair. Do not use steel or any other hard metal brush. They will damage the stone. Fine dust can be removed with a slightly damp cloth when the stone is cold. The Biscotto stone must be kept dry since the stone is made of clay and will suck up the moist from the surroundings. This is one of the advantages when cooking the Neapolitan pizzas.  


Biscotto stone is not a perfectly carved stone
Due to the fragile nature of the stone, we do not offer any guarantee on the stones. This is standard industry practice. If your stove comes with a broken or cracked stone, you must contact us immediately.

Unfortunately, we cannot replace stones that have minor damage. Because these stones are handmade, air-dried and then oven-dried, it quite often results in imperfections and tiles along the edges. Such minor damage does not change the performance of the stone or stove and is therefore not considered a defect. If a customer finds a damage to the stone troublesome, we recommend that the customer rotates the stone, when possible, to achieve the smoothest possible surface or that the customer goes a little over with sandpaper
 

In case of damage during transport!

All shipments are insured, so if your stone arrives damaged, please contact us and we will ship a new one free of charge. We would need proof of damages.

  • photo of the damaged stone(s)
  • photos of the packaging  
  • all 6 sides of the box 

Without these pictures, we are not able to send out a replacement stone

All replacement stones will be shipped as DAP (Delivered at Place). It will be stated that this is a WARRANTY REPLACEMENT stone.

If damaged under transport, Biscotto Stones International will handle all communication with DHL Express.

Please contact us on post@biscottostones.com and include the Order confirmation and picture of the damaged stone. 

Note: The damage must be reported within 48 hours after signing for delivery.

About Biscotto stones

All Biscotto stones are handmade by Italian artisans in Naples Italy using the methods and techniques that have been used for generations. The clay is mined from the gulf of Naples. This alluvial clay imparts each pizza stone with a unique mineral content that is exclusive to this region of Italy. Using the local clay, each stone begins its life by being hand formed into wooden molds. The clay forms are then air dried allowing the clay to release a specific amount of moisture before firing. Once sufficiently air dried, the forms are carefully loaded into a wood fired kiln. The kiln is fired to a specific temperature, and the artisans stay with the kiln for several days & nights to maintain the kiln temperature. Once the firing process is complete, the stones are removed and ready for use.

Benefits of Biscotto stones

Biscotto is only produced in areas around Naples in southern Italy, near the volcano Vesuvio, where there is a lot of volcanic clay. The material is clay-based and consists of a certain amount of volcanic clay and volcanic ash (pozzolana). Some of the most traditional makers make them very manually: they fill the clay mixture into wooden molds and flatten them by running their hands over the mold.The clay must then harden over a longer period. In the winter down in Italy, it can take about a month or two to harden them. When they are then dried and have achieved the desired moisture content, the biscotti clay is fired in special ovens. Such kilns reach around 8 to 900 degrees, and the stones are fired for over 24 hours before they are finished. 

Reason for using Biscotto stones:

  1. High floor temperature - but without burning the pizza base. With a biscotto stone you can bake a pizza in 40 to 80 seconds (depending on the type of oven), with a floor temperature of 450-480 degrees completely without burning the pizza. With an ordinary pizza oven floor made of chamotte and cordierite stone, the pizza will be able to be quickly burned at high temperatures due to the high thermal conductivity that ordinary floor stones have. Often, the pizza must be lifted off the floor, or "domes" as it is called in pizza terminology, during the last part of the cooking time to finish cooking the top of the pizza if the bottom is ready.
  2. Short cooking time on the pizza. Expected cooking time for a well-heated pizza stone made of Biscotto is from just 40 seconds to 80 seconds, depending on whether you use a professional Neapolitan stone pizza oven or a small steel pizza oven from, for example, OONI. A short cooking time is important when cooking real, Neapolitan pizza with a thin base and inflated and "crispy" edge, or cornicione as it is called in Italy.
  3. Moisture from the dough is absorbed. The Biscotto stone is porous and consists of tiny holes throughout the structure of the clay. To get a successful, thin pizza, it is not only a high temperature that is important. It is also important to quickly remove the moisture from the dough. Only then do you get the airy but "crunchy" dough that everyone is looking for Neapolitan pizza. It prevents the pizza from becoming chewy or watery.
  4. Easier to succeed in pizza baking even if you are a beginner. This point is connected to the point above. When you don't have to turn the pizza often, and it doesn't burn easily, it's much more fun to bake pizza for friends and family. Remember that Biscotto stones has a porous structure that helps to avoid black-burnt pizza. It should go in and out of the oven quickly.
  5. Possible to bake several pizzas in succession. Since a Biscotto stone is thicker (often almost double the thickness) than the standard floor stones in ovens such as OONI, Gozney and Sage Pizzaiolo, it stays hot for a long time. Then the underfloor heating will also be more stable and even compared to standard floor tiles where the heat can vary by over 150 degrees from the innermost to the outermost of the ovens. When you want to bake more than 1 pizza, maybe 5-6 pizzas, in quick succession, it is important that the stone does not lose its heat too quickly. Biscotto stones keeps the heat longer. It will take a bit more time to reach the ideal operating temperature, compared to other types of pizza stone, but the advantages are so great that it doesn't really matter. For example, a OONI pizza oven will use around 5 minutes extra to heat the biscotto stone to the perfect baking temperature.

Biscotto stones has a porous structure (this does not mean that it breaks very easily, although it should be handled with care), but also a characteristic brown color. It was during times of crisis that the Italians discovered that the clay bricks they used for constructions were also perfect as building material for pizza ovens. Then it was used for floors in pizza ovens. In fact, Biscotto floors are perfect for all cooking that requires a high temperature and a short cooking time. Such as pita bread, naan, calzone, flat bread, and Turkish balloon bread. Biscotto stones really comes into its own at high temperatures and fast baking times.

Biscotto Stones International hope you will enjoy your new Biscotto floor!

Best Regards

Tom

CEO