release from proofing basket
Hi all,
I recently dicovered bread baking and this wonderful site.
Question: is there a trick to getting an easier dough release from the coiled baskets?
When I line the basket with a floured cloth, I have no problems but I get no coiled pattern on top either. When I place a shaped boule into an unlined basket and retard it then re-awaken it with the final proof, I have trouble with the dough sticking to the basket. I flour the baskets but during the removal process, the clinging basket pulls at the "skin" or surface of the dough so that it is as though there is a space between the skin and the main mass of dough. The finished bread actually turns out well, but I'm guessing there is some technique I'm missing that could make this near final step a little less stressful.
Thanks for any thoughts and suggestions. Again, love the site!
John
I use a baking spray (pre-mixed flour and oil, "Bakers Joy") first on the coils then flour over this. Also coat the surface of your dough before placing in basket.
Jim
I am assuming that you roll the shaped loaf in rice, rye, coarse semolina or some other non-glutin flour before you put it into the baskets. Then you let the dough rise and finally retard it in a cool/cold spot. If so, then don't let the loaves sit out to warm up before you take them from the baskets. Take it straight from the cold spot and turn it out on to the peel.
If you let it warm up, here is what happens. The cold dough interacts with the warm, and thus moist, air in the room and a condensate forms on the loaf. The condensate interacts with the dough making it gluey and sticky. It is easier, by the way, for the warm moist air to move through the open basket coils than through a linen couche liner.
There is no problem going straight from retard to baking. I even prefer it for easier scoring of the dough and less spread of hydrated doughs.
"...also coat the surface of the dough..."
I'll try it.
Do you mean coat the boule with flour prior to basketing? When I use a floured cloth to line the basket , it makes the surface of the loaf kind of a blurry yellow color - not a shiny rich brown. Maybe I need to spray the more floured attempts with a mist of water before putting it into the oven? Anyway thanks again.
Here's how it turned out.
I need more practice with scoring but overall I'm happy. BTW, by carefully running my finger tips around the inverted basket and dough, it does release - it just takes patience. I guess my expectation was for it to easily fall out.
Just a light coat of flour, before going into basket. Then after removing boule gently brush (pastry brush) or blow off excess flour. Your slashes look good, maybe go slighty deeper. Otherwise they look spot on, nice oven spring! To get the shiney brown I don't use the baskets, but the dough needs to be firm. I wiil proof those on parch paper then trim the paper very close to the bread just before I put it into the cloche.
Jim
rice flour or a mixture of half rice flour to half all purpose flour to dust your brotformen. Rice flour is a particularly non sticky flour.
If you are using a cloth to line the brotform, let me suggest that you use linen. Linen is a particularly non stick fabric as it both contains natural waxes and its long fibers are often described as "lintless." Fewer little furries to reach out and grab your dough, the less stickage. You will find you can use less flour (I use none, but I live in a dry climate) and you won't get a heavy deposit on the surface of your bread (which inhibits browning).
Hope this helps.
I haven't been using any flour on the dough before placing it in the basket. Makes sense what you are saying about moisture and condesation. I'll try some gluten free flour next time.
Interesting idea to go right from retard to bake. I'm using a home refridge so it not 50 degrees. Will your idea work for me? I thought that the yeast had to be awakened more. Not sure if it makes a difference but perhaps I should have mentioned that the dough I'm working uses a relatively new starter (about 6 weeks old.) The book that got me started, Nancy Silverton's Bread From The La Brea Bakery, instructed me to warm the dough about 3 hrs prior to baking. In the past, if I rushed this, I would get pretty severe over spring. I'm guessing my retarding period is too cold to do as you suggest?
John
First, Pat's suggestion - using a 50/50 mix of AP/Rice flour to dust the brotformen - should be followed. If you do this, you shouldn't have to also dust the loaves. Higher hydration dough, stickier doughs may require heavier dusting of the brotformen. A 65% hydration sourdough generally only needs a light dusting.
Second, how long you wait to bake the loaves after cold retardation depends on whether they are adequately proofed and the size of the loaves.
Use the "poke test" to assess proofing. If you poke a finger into the loaf, the dough should spring back very slowly. If it springs back quickly, you need to proof it longer. If the depression remains, it is over-proofed.
A 1 to 1 1/2 lb loaf that is adequately proofed can be baked immediately out of the fridge. A larger loaf should be allowed to warm up for 1 to 2 hours before baking, otherwise the middle may not be fully baked when the crust is done.
I usually proof loaves at room temperature for an hour or so before retarding them. You should probably experiment to see what works best for you. The best result may depend on many variables, including how active your starter is, the flours you use, your room temperature, and the dough hydration.
Hope this helps.
David