Big Batch Baking
I will soon be baking dinner rolls, and possibly cinnamon rolls as a part of meals to serve between 100-200. I'll be working in a commercial-style mobile kitchen, with no mixer. I will have big ovens and full sized sheet pans and bakery racks at my disposal, and all the help I want. (The project is a volunteer construction project that will go on for about a month, work will be conducted 3 or 4 days a week, so I won't be baking EVERY day.)
The challenges include: Figuring batch size to accomodate serving needs, which will vary. Scaling recipes up to fit the big pans. Adjusting yeast (yes, I'm going to use instant yeast...gasp...sourdough is just a little more than I'm willing to take on when timing is critical...apologies to the purists) and salt when muliplying formulas. Proofing in non-temperature regulated environment. Timing dough so I can serve dinner rolls warm from the oven. (Oven will not always be available at dinner time, depending on menu.)
I have a grasp of the baker's percentage method, so you don't need to review that, but I don't know how to figure how many pounds of flour to fit a bun pan, and how many servings per pound.
Your help is welcomed. Thanks, Terri
Will you have a lot of refrigerator space? If you do, it can help with the timing, because you can make dough ahead of time, let it go through the first rise, shape it, and then put it in the refrigerator until a little before you need it. I do this all the time to make fresh cinnamon rolls in the morning (since I don't want to get up to make cinnamon rolls at 4:00 a.m.) I make the dough and shape the rolls the night before, then put them in the fridge. In the morning I get them out and let them finish rising in a warm oven for 20 minutes or so, then bake. If you don't have the warm oven, it takes longer at room temperature. You'd just have to experiment. I've never done it on a large scale, though.
Could you use lights (heat lamps?) to help regulate the temperature of the area where the dough will proof?
I will have ample refrigerator space. Thanks for the tip on making use of that. I could use it for morning cinnamon rolls, as well as evening dinner rolls. A proofing box could probably be "cobbled" together, I have lots of talent at my disposal. Anyone else have ideas for a good proofing box?
I am intrigued that you have success in shaping your cinnamon rolls and refrigerating them overnight. I have tried that, and the cinnamon sugar (on a very light smear of butter) that was rolled up in the rolls became liquidy and settled in the bottom of the pan. What do you do to avoid that?
Well, I do use more than a light smear of butter...but now that you mention it, the sugar does pool a bit on the bottoms. I just never considered it a flaw, I guess. And I've certainly gotten no complaints from DH and the kids :)
Now that you mention it....no complaints here either : ) Must try that again!
Hi Terri
The students here at the college have a recipe for 30 - 60 - 90 dinner rolls that are used in the training restaurant weighing 50 grams each . 3kgs is the flour amount for 90 rolls.
You will need to work out the weight of each item and the required numbers to work out your batch sizes and the mixers capacity in this case you! and the ovens capacity too.
A good proofing box is a set of wooden drawers, in fact we had a wooden set for the continental breads that we used to make.
Where abouts are you in our big wide TFL WORLD.
Happy to be more specific if required. regards Yozza
Yozza, Thank for the response. We are in Yakima, Washington, USA (on the dry side of the state...not in rainy Seattle, though it's raining a lot here right now.)
Great idea: the wooden drawers for a proofing box. Do you add any heat to that?
Is your training recipe for rolls something that you share? Forgive my naive question, but with what college are you affiliated?
I just found out yesterday that one of the volunteers coming to work the food service crew is a pro baker, so I will be relieved of trying to re-invent the wheel, and will instead be receiving good instruction. I'm so excited!
How about, if you get the time, letting us know what you wound up doing and how it worked. Good luck!
Hi Terri sorry for the long dalay
i have been flat out like a lizard drinking. the drawers work really well for intermediate proof when the dough pieces are handed up and put in the drawers either lined with a linen
tablecloth or well dusted, once closed the dough pieces are protected from draughts and are quite happy there relaxing before being taken for final shaping.
Even the finished loaves will be quite happy in the closed environment too.
I work at technical college where most trades are taught including Hospitality hence the traing restaurant. i work as the purchasing officer but do get opportunities to assist with breads etc which is my trade background.
you may want to try to hire beg or borrow a mixxer for your production as it may prove to be heavy going for you all by hand.
I will copy the rolls recipe when i go down to feed the sour dough culture that i maintain down at the kitchen a bit later.
Kind regards Yozza