Rolling out multi-dozen croissant batches
I've started baking croissants this winter and am happy with the recipe I've developed (about 10% WW, AP/BF Blend, Poolish) and am starting to get fairly consistent results at rolling out small batches (1kg dough + 250g butter), about a dozen large croissants or pain au chocolat. My shaping is still hit and miss, but the same could be said of my bread....
We're getting back to our regular market schedule over the next couple months, and I'll need to start making larger batches earlier in the week and freezing them to bake on market mornings. I think I've got that part figured, but tips would be great!
The big problem is laminating big batches by hand (say 4kg dough + 1 kg butter). I tried a 2kg batch last week and couldn't get it uniform in either thickness or shape. For the small batches I have an 18" tapered wooden pin, for the big ones I've a 24" metal monstrosity. I can massage the 1kg dough to stay very close to rectangular and fairly unifrom thickness. It seems any errors are quickly multiplied in the large batches. Othere than practice, any one have practical advice on handling larger batches of laminated dough?