a loaf shaping technique question

The technique works for small loaves, 1.5 lb down and to at least 90% hydration, it removes the need for a banneton.

I use white, seeded, grain and wholemeal flours.  My loaves take about two and a quarter hours to make after either an overnight rise or a 20 minute premix.  I use a bread machine and a cloche.  I make around one loaf a day. I aim for a silky open crumb.

 Here is the technique:

The window pane standard dough ball is divided into two parts.  One part is left to rise whilst the other is divided into equal length strands.  These strands are worked until they are strong enough to make a band that holds the other part  in shape.  You get either a log or a boule shape for the loaf.  A simple basic 300g flour  (1 lb) loaf gives a log around 10 inches long and around 4 inches high or a boule with around an 8 inch base and 4 inches height.  The natural shape is the log.  You do not have to use the same flour for each part.  So you can get patterns of  different doughs in a loaf,  as shown in the image.

I don’t know the name of the technique please can anyone help?  I could do a video of the technique and write a detailed description but if they already exist there is no point.

A bit of background.....    I have belonged to the forum for several years and simply read the bits of interest to me.  Its been very useful.  Perhaps I can make a useful contribution now.  The dough is easy to handle. I only wanted to get a  flour free crust..

the video showing the kendal roll technique and how to use the rolls to form a loaf is at    https://youtu.be/gsJ5pGjnzuA

Kendal roll clip questions and answers

Why don’t you make loaves using just kendal rolls?
The crumb is not first rate.  There are likely to be small dark patches.  They feel wet and rubbery when you run your finger over them.  It seems  insufficient baking heat gets to these patches.  I have tried to get rid of them and  failed.  I think it is to do with the  gas pressure in the cells.  It could be just a bit  higher than  usual which may reduce the effectiveness of the water vapour transferring heat across the cells?......

Why do you use first oil then flour on the work surface and your hands?
When the dough is first removed from the pan of the bread machine it is very sticky, rubbing oil over my hands and the work surface  means that very little sticks to my skin or the work surface when the dough rests on it.  I make a point of rolling the dough over the work surface so all of it is covered in a thin film of  oil.  The first shapings are rough and ready and its easy to do them with oil covered dough.  I need to grip the dough for the kendal rolling, and flour, used after the oil, works well.  I use rice bran oil.

How much hand mixing/kneading do you do? 
None.  I use my bread machine on its dough setting.  There are two operations in the dough pan.  A one minute initial mix of all the flour and water followed by a twenty minute pause, then  a full mix of everything to window pane standard.  That can take anything from fifteen minutes to half an hour.  I do wash my hands of dough after I remove it from the pan, some does get stuck doing this job.  After that everything is fine.

How can you tell when the dough in the pan is at window pane standard?
By poking it with a finger after the dough has balled on the paddle.  At first the dough feels soft and very sticky.  Then as the dough ball begins to bang its way round the pan it feels much firmer and less sticky.  That wholemeal dough took 13 minutes.   Flours with  protein content of around nine can take much longer especially at high hydration.

When can’t you use the kendal roll technique
When the dough in the bread maker’s pan does not ball properly. 
A thin skin of dough covers the base of the pan and a sloppy ball rotates above it.  (If you use a mixer you may be able to persuade the dough to ball properly by operating it at speed)

Why is the kendal roll so strong?
Each of the around 8 operations per roll stretches a small  sheet of dough  in two directions at right angles and pins it.  Bonds have been stretched and can’t get back to their original state. So you need to apply a bigger than usual force to bend the dough, the dough feels ‘strong’.  Warning!  Yes you can kendal roll a kendal roll but why?  The extra strength is not needed.  If you do the kendal rolling a third time the  dough snaps/breaks in your hands as you try to stretch the roll apart. 

My band doesn’t go all the way round the loaf
You can always bake it bottom up, you can get an attractive effect on the crust.  It doesn’t usually matter.

Why do you split the dough 50/50?
Its a good place to start, you can adjust the ratios ....the less dough in the band the weaker the band

Why do you use three kendal rolls for the band?
As a rough guide you need a band for each 100g of flour to get sufficient band surface.

What is the maximum rise time for the dough to keep enough strength
I don’t know.   I make my loaves early morning to fit in with breakfast.  My rise time is around  one and quarter hours.  I do ‘overnight’ rather than 20 minutes sometimes, that is no problem.  I put around 0.5g of yeast with the flour and water.

How can I check how well the kendal rolls band has covered the loaf’s surface?
Use a different colour dough for the surface so when you cut into the bread you can see where the doughs have gone.  It makes pretty bread.  See the image at the top of the page.  The band did not make it all the way round.

Can I make a boule shaped loaf?
Yes, when you  put your loaf together use the palm of one hand to stop any dough straying beyond the end of the band.  When you have finished fitting the band turn the whole log of dough through 90 degrees  and stand the log on its end patting it down gently to get a bigger base.  Warning this structure is a bit wobbly I  shove a wooden spoon  under the edge of the rigid plastic sheet beneath the parchment paper to correct a sloping boule whilst it finishes rising.

I wait with interest to here how you get on. 

Alex