May 3, 2020 - 4:37pm
I made a short video on the slap-and-fold technique
A lot of recipes suggest it, but without really digging into how to do it properly -- hope this helps someone!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LXcchONCwg&t=2s
[edit for people who are curious]:
The dough is:
50% whole wheat flour run through a large (~1mm) mesh strainer from these lovely folks (it has _huge_ 1cm pieces of bran in it, hence the straining)
25% KA All-Purpose
25% Central milling bakers craft+
@ 80% hydration
This is after a 2h autolyse, 30m post mix with levain and 10m post mixing with salt.
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Also look for Bruno Albouze on YouTube.
Your video is great, thanks for posting.
When I have done slap and fold before I assumed that if the dough is tearing apart in the center like that, I'm doing something wrong. Yet I see you basically ignoring the tearing and just proceeding ahead. Will that resolve over time as the gluten becomes more developed?
I created that tear on purpose for the video by overstretching -- you can just continue on. Try to stretch it less and they should stop happening.
They will also just go away over time, but you'll build strength more quickly if you don't overstretch
Of course you can always carry on - but I would avoid tearing at this stage - that's like 3 steps for 1 back.
There are several excellent online video tutorials for French Folding. Richard Bertinet's home movie is probably the most popular, but I learned first and best from Babette Echeverría. There's also a funny one somewhere of a French baker demonstrating for a class of Asian baking students whom he warns to stand back to avoid the splatter.
Tom
Very nice and well done video! Your technique was pleasant and nice to watch.
I am wondering if the large hole and the apparent separating of the dough lump wasn’t a result of the normal and consistent occurrence that happens soon after the slap and folds begin.
It has been my experience that this “breakdown” of the dough is common and to be expected. I have no idea why this occurs, but when it does I keep aggressively throwing (slapping) down the dough. It comes back together in short order.
Have you tried slapping down the dough more aggressively? It seems counterintuitive, but it is effective. You mentioned in your video, “a way to keep the dough from flying all over the place”. How right you are. When throwing down wet dough, it should be aimed downward at the counter and not out horizontally.
What flours did you use?
What was the hydration of the dough? The dough looked excellent...
Interesting! I usually find the holes go away if I just slow down a little bit.
The dough is:
50% whole wheat flour run through a large (~1mm) mesh strainer from these lovely folks (it has _huge_ 1cm pieces of bran in it, hence the straining)
25% KA All-Purpose
25% Central milling bakers craft+
@ 80% hydration
The hole in the center is caused by using both hands. Depending on the amount of dough and the hydration of course but I use one hand when possible or start with two but finish with one after the dough has developed some.
Now I'm really curious -- how do you slap and fold with only one hand!?
Next time you get the right dough in your hands you should try it. There is a grainy Youtube https video of Nancy Silverton making olive bread with Julia Childs that prompted me to try it.
https://youtu.be/9kPu2tzOlHg
I didn't believe it at first, either. But seeing is believing. The one-handed slap&fold is at 5:53. Here's a shortcut to go there directly: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kPu2tzOlHg&t=353s
(For would-be URL geeks, "t=353s" is the time offset parameter in seconds. "t=5m53s" works too. "?" if it is the first parameter. "&" if it is not the first parameter.)
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Russell: You're video is great. Good explanations. Good job on the slow-motion too. And you got a lot of hits quickly, so Youtoob must like it.
I mostly use it for pizza dough or a single loaf and flip the top over rather than rolling it up like NS does. Nor do I use a food processor.
I am from the Show Me state so I know seeing is believing. There must be a video somewhere of baker with a dough in each hand.
I enjoyed your video Russell, nicely done.
Benny
Bruno Albouze
1:25 starts mixing and kneading, followed by slap fold then two handed forming.
https://youtu.be/5LUBrnoILFM
2:10 two handed forming
https://youtu.be/Vbz_brbSc7U