September 27, 2008 - 7:54am
Baguette shaping tip
I've found that, when shaping baguettes, after I've gone through the folding stages and get to the point where I have a torpedo and the next step is to roll them, this is a good point for a rest for the dough. I accomplish this by getting all the baguettes to this stage and then going back and rolling/elongating the first one. It's had time to relax by then. I find that if I try to take each baguette all the way through folding and rolling/elongating, that I am fighting the dough that has been recently folded and built up some resistance. I find them much more willing to elongate once they've had a little 5 minute rest after the folding portion of the shaping process.
:-Paul