I just started a new job where one of my tasks is to keep the restaurant supplied with fresh bread for their bread baskets.  The exec chef and I have decided on a baguette of some type (I'm thinking something like a whole wheat molasses dough), a 7-grain epi, and a sundried tomato fougasse. 

I have other tasks as well, so making fresh dough every day will be impossible.  I am thinking about doing all of my dough production on one day and freezing it, so it can be proofed and baked for service.  I do have a large proof box and three hearth ovens in my kitchen, so volume is not the problem.  I'm trying to come up with some sort of organization that would be best suited to my product.

At what stage can I freeze the dough?  Can I take it all the way to the shaping/final proofing stage and freeze shaped (unbaked) loaves?  How can I defrost and properly proof and bake them?

This is my first time not baking on the same day that I've shaped the dough, so I'm kind of clueless.  At what point would it be best frozen and thawed? 

 Thanks in advance for the help!

Kristen

I'm beginning to think my yeast is on steroids...

Given my hectic schedule, what with work and home and hubby and 3 kids going at least 4 different places, I have often stowed dough in the fridge to buy some time...as well as develop the flavors.  However, I've noticed a pattern that I haven't seen discussed on the forums yet:

If I put the dough in the fridge before first fermentation (knead it and fridge it), I get very little rise in the fridge.  But if any rise has happened at room temp and then I fridge it, either during first fermentation or proofing, I get overdevelopment...by the time the dough has come to room temp again, it's huge and I might as well degas ( the action, not the artist!) and shape from scratch, otherwise it's impossible to slash and I get almost no oven rise.

Doesn't matter if it's yeast, or yeast-starter combo.  I do the combo because my starter, altho bubbly and tasty, has never really risen...and I seldom have the extended stretches of time to let a straight starter do it's thing...but this will be another posting.

So...is it my fridge? (Which has been having it's quirks now, as well!) I store the dough on the bottom shelf--it's a bottom-freezer version--which is coolest.

Am I using too much yeast/starter?  If straight dough, yeast is typically 2 tsp for a 1 1/2 to 2 lb loaf; if yeast-starter, I use 1 tsp yeast and about 25-30% starter for the same size loaf (about 4-5 c flour).  I am basing the starter percents on The Metropolitan Bakery Book (Metro. is a Philly-based artisan bakery) which suggested using 30-40% starter for max flavor and keeping quality.  And since I had a bathtub full of the stuff...

Are there other issues I should be aware of? 

Should I work on my organizational skills, developing a schedule for proofing, retarding, etc?  In my earlier life, I was scheduled rigidly, but having been knocked around by life and being married to Mr. Spontaneity, I've lost that ability ;-).  The thought of reverting to a schedule makes me cringe, but if I have to for the sake of good bread...!   

Windi 

hi, good morning. i just started baking bread again yesterday, cheated and bought a sourdough from our local organic bakery. it's very good and strong.

Do you use an oven? kitchen counter with a damp towel? Seran wrap? Olive oil or flour coating?  What and how do you proof your dough?

I've heard talk that incandescent light bulbs will be discontinued in a few years.  They're inefficient in that much of the energy they use is given off in heat rather than just light.

I've noticed in Hamelman's book and a few other places that are geared more toward professionals, that in several formulas the proofing and fermentation times are the same.  My experience is that in order for the dough to double at both stages, the fermentation time will be about twice as long as the proof.  Can any knowledgable person here enlighten me?

SOL

I love this place but am way over my head. I'm just starting to delve into bread baking as a whole. And this site has so much inspiration.

I am having problems with my bread since I moved. I was in central Germany and all of my bread turned out fabulous. Now I am in Central TN and none of my yeast breads turn out. My sourdough is denser than rocks and I'm getting discouraged.

I have a bid of problem with the final proofing.

How does everyone cover the dough for the final proofing? Usually plastic wrap or wet cloth or papertowl is used right?

I hate to cover them because it usualy sticks to it when trying to peel them off after the proofing.

Is it a bad idea to have hot water in the oven, kinda like a steamed oven, and put the uncovered dough in ? Or will that affect the dough when slashing(which Im also scared to do because it might deflate!)?

Hi,

My sourdough isn't turning out as a nice boule shape. It seems to flatten after it's long proof on the bench (it's still quite active, as it rises/ flattens out in the oven) into a flattish shape. Am I not developing enough gluten in the initial mix? Something to do with humidity or temperature of proof? Starter activity? Old flour?

The bread still tastes quite good,with nice crumb structure; but it'd be nice to have a good shape. Any advice would be appreciated. I am using Rose Levy Beranbaum's The Bread Bible, basic soudough boule.

Hello All