The Fresh Loaf

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Pistachio cranberry stretch and fold question

Cathfm's picture
Cathfm

Pistachio cranberry stretch and fold question

First time I tried stretching and folding today, or at least the first semi-alright result I could muster. After I tried THIS delicious but nightmare-inducing knead: http://www.wildyeastblog.com/fruit-and-nut-sourdough/ ... and so today I decided to wing it, using only ratios, bread flour and the great video she links to on stretch and fold.

After autolyse I decided to use pistachio flour so I whipped some up, and half-kneaded the dough, shaped and SF 2-3 times with wet hands before shaping and so on and so forth. 

 

How can I make the loaf less...ugly on the outside without handling too much?

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

From the picture I don't see any ugliness (beauty is in the taste buds of the beholder.)  Can't really see the crust very well.

Sprinkle some chopped nuts into the score marks?  or Roll the dough in something to crack open while baking or how about a different shape, a twist or a roll up?  Dust with a cocoa/nut mixture  or  flakes of some kind.  Patting the surface with oily hands, like a nut oil or coconut butter might do the trick.  

Try using a textured cloth if applicable or wrapping strips of a second dough around the dough ball to make a package or lattice effect.  Or use cut outs of another dough to decorate.   Autumn look might include a leaf cut out.  Lines can be made by mixing flour with malt and water and the cookie cutter as a stamp or just drizzling over the loaf before baking.  

Cathfm's picture
Cathfm

Do you have any idea how I could avoid such a bumpy looking crust in the first place without handling the dough and while preserving the air bubbles in the crust?

 

As in, how do baguettes get such smooth outer crusts when this one was still crevassey (even allowing for the mix-ins)?

I might do the malt thing at this point :) but any suggestions for next time would be great.

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

with the stretching.  

I flip the dough upside down and fold, then reverse so that the top of the dough is continuously stretched to get it smooth.  As it relaxes between folds it is right side up.  Then when folding I flip it over and fold.  When done stretching and folding, the top side is turned up again and I tuck under the corners and give it that round shape again.  Keeping track of the exposed or top side of the dough will give the smooth outer crust.  Then cover it so it doesn't dry out.  

MontBaybaker's picture
MontBaybaker

Cathfm, I was researching cranberry-orange so thanks for the link.  Your loaf looks pretty good.  We gladly eat the loaves that don't have the perfect surface I envisioned.  

MiniOven, if your suggestions are detailed elsewhere could you please provide a link?  I'm intrigued by the flour-malt solution as a drizzle or stamp medium.  Is it a paste or slurry, and what are the proportions?  For the textured cloth or second layer of dough (like lattice), I assume that's applied just before the final proof?  

I'd love to see before & after pictures of these techniques - haven't heard of them.  I've seen some of your wonderful scoring on other posts.  Thanks!

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven
Cathfm's picture
Cathfm

Sorry I forgot to thank you, I just dived right in and tried again. Perhaps my dough was just over hydrated.