Help and Advices
Hey everyone!
I have just change my career from a line cook to a baker due to my interest in baking, and today was the first day of my new job. I have watched LOTS of videos but watching is not enough, practice makes is better I guess. My baker chef is also kind of a mastermind who uses the San Fransisco method of sourdough. I have a couple of questions about final shaping and portioning the dough which I really care about the people's ideas in TFL.
1- I really can't cut the big dough into portions. My chef says that I have to do it in two actions, not cut in one move, otherwise I can kill the dough's air and it will stick and not evenly portioned. What can I do when I portion the dough? What are the steps that I should follow?
2- I didn't even try the Batard shape, but I tried the Boule. When I do that, lots of dead dough sticks to my hands. What can I do to prevent this? And my chef says that I definetly should not touch the moist surface of the dough. How true is that? And what is the best way to shape the dough without escaping any air from the dough to get a nice bubbly texture?
3- Also open for the advices about the batard shape as well :)
4-In some videos people just de-gas the dough. Why do they do that? Isn't the sourdough about air and big holes? (Except Rye sourdough I baked today)
Thank you for all the answers in advance. I really have a long way haven't I? Lol.
I'm not sure you want to get into a p***ing contest with your chef over what he/she thinks and what the folks at TFL suggest. If the chef is a seasoned professional and has been presenting bread to the public's satisfaction, I'd stick with whatever techniques he/she directs you to use. At such time that you are invited to present your suggestions for improving or changing a formula or technique, TFL will certainly be a great resource for suggestions.
With that said there are different ideas about degassing dough. I know some who ferment dough as long as they can then try to preserve the gas bubbles by handling the dough very gently. There are others who degas the dough throughout the fermentation process, eventually redistributing the larger gas bubbles into an array of small ones. Some do 4 stretch and folds and others do hundreds. Since the dough is still fermenting the gas bubbles grow again in the final proofing stage.
As to shaping batards, YouTube has some great video of different techniques. Personally I have had good success with a shaping method presented by Martin Philip of King Arthur Flour. Even under his direction it has taken some time to be able to shape with regularity and consistency.
Best of luck in your new venture.