April 30, 2006 - 1:06pm
A couple of pics
I couple of pics just to prove I've not been totally neglecting my baking:
A loaf of my daily bread I made a week or two past. Actually, I used about 20% whole wheat flour, so I suppose it was more like Hamelman's rustic bread.
A ciabatta like loaf I made this weekend. The dough was a bit too goopy. I should have done another series of folds, but I was getting impatient. Tsk, tsk...
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Just wanted to reintroduce the Super Peel as an option.
We have several amatuer bakers who use this tool regularly for ciabatta and other very high hydration breads. It will eliminate the sticking to the peel and misshapen problems you are experiencing.
www.superpeel.com
It does cost more than a regular peel, but is made here in the US and is smooth sanded hard VT maple. It will last a "lifetime".
Gary
(Pizzameister)
I have used this method with a larger oven than the one I have. This is the kind of dough I knead with a sturdy spoon and in the "korner" of my bowl. Beating it under (not around) with the spoon till you notice the dough tends to pull itself off from the sides of the bowl. You will do this then for about 5 minutes longer and then let the dough rise. It helps to lightly grease the bowl before you mix ingredients! You will still need a wet teaspoon to remove remaining dough off your wooden spoon.
After it has risen to your satisfaction, oil your fingers and knock it down in the bowl by folding, trying to scoop under the sides and fold half over . Turning the bowl with one hand as you fold with the other and working your way around. When you feel it's tight enough, use a seeve to flour your baking sheet or use baking paper, (this is the time some bakers put dough into a well floured breadform) or for a really teary wet dough, romove the handle off your small frying pan, flour or paper it and plop dough into the middle. Wait about 10 minutes, and park into a cold oven with the top of your loaf being the middle of the oven. Turn on the heat to 200°c. A kilo loaf takes about an hour. Any left over flour can be brushed off with a clean brush and flour on the baking sheet can be used to thicken vegetable soup or sauces. I hope this helps.
Note: In this method my recipe always had some amount of commercial yeast. The nice thing about using a fry pan, is that if dough doesn't rise much, you still get a rounded loaf, and you don't have to turn it upside down risking degassing. :) Mini Oven