moving bastard loaves from bed to peel

Gary--

My usual approach to transfering from couche to oven is to use parchment paper.  I proof seam side up.  When the loaf is ready, I flatten the couche folds, place a piece of parchment next to the loaf, flip the loaf gently over onto the parchment with seam side down, then slide a peel under the parchment.  The peel carries the loaf to the oven, and I pull the parchment onto the stone.  One could do this without parchment, and simply flip the loaf onto a peel that's been powdered with semolina or the like.  But I find that using parchment reduces the risk of damaging the loaf inthe transfer process.

Glenn

Actually, either method can be used.  If it is seam side up, I have been taught to take the first fold out of the couche, then you use the flipping board to roll the loaf so that it is seam side down on the couche, then use use the couch as sort of a sling to roll it onto the flipping board seam side up, then move to the peel and roll/flip it off the board so it gently lands on the peel seam side down.  If it is seam side down I have been taught to use the couche to roll it onto the board seam side up and then onto the peel seam side down.  Why all the flipping?  Well - I was taught using an industrial loader where you don't have the option of moving the loader belt and you may need an intermediate board to position a loaf in the middle of the loader.  I use the technique at home with a peel because - well - it gives me a lot of control as to where the loaf is deposited on the peel. The decision really comes down to: seam up or seam down?  Putting the top of the loaf in contact with the linen couche presumably draws some moisture from the upper surface to better prepare it for scoring.  Seam down?  I'm at a loss to explain that, but it might be used when you are going to place seeds or other sprinkley bits on the loaf and will eventually need to spray it or wash it with something. 

That being said, I have had "my teacher" (Ah! surely we will be together again - and soon!) tell me seam up one day and seam down the next with no more explanation than "Just do it."

A baffling topic.

I don't use the parchment paper on the peel for anything - I consider it part of my hand skills training to slide a couple of baguettes (or a pizza) into a home oven unaided by parchment.  But when I work with beginner bakers I let them use the parchment to boost their confidence.

But I speak the truth about how to handle the loaf - although it is easier done than said.  Perhaps someon who is good at searching videos can find a video of the process for you.

Hope this helps.

Pat

I agree with Pat. Learning to transport from couche to stone without using parchment is a skill worth learning. I generally use a home made flipper board and make one move from the couche directly to the stone. I slash on the board. As Pat says, roll the dough as needed to the flipper. I find it works better if you dust the seam side with my rice/AP flour shaker before rolling the dough on, seams down. Slash, steam, load.

I recently made a board that is the width of my stone and parchment paper for baking rolls. The rolls need parchment. I have a large aluminum peel but it's not as wide as the stone. If you want to bake 12 rolls at a time, it's much easier if you shape the rolls and place them on the paper to proof. Then using the full size board load them easily all at once.

BTW, I like proofing seams up for batards and boules. I like the slightly dryer skin from the linen wicking moisture from the dough.

I use brotforms or bannetons for every kind of loaf I make, from baguette to batard. If I could find one for pizza, I'd probably buy one. ;)

I realize that doesn't answer your question, so let me choose from the above: proof seam-side up and then roll onto a dusted peel (semolina or rice flour works best) OR parchement. "The roll" requires Zen-like (don't think about it or you'll botch it) concentration, so don't hesitate. 

I say "or parchment" because I only use parchment for high hydration (wet) doughs (70% plus). Wet doughs take a Master's master technique to get them into the oven without parchment. After 10 years dealing with wet doughs, I think it'll take me 50 more years to master the wet-dough-onto-dusted-peel-and-into-oven-without-destroying-loaf technique.  

I've been using a Super Peel because it works a bit like a professional loader. I can slip two wet loaves onto my baking stone in one pass. With a bit of messing around, you can also use the cloth wrapping of the peel as a sort of couche.

P.S. I have no commercial connection whatsoever with the maker of Super Peel.

Greg

Hehehe. It's spelled "batard", which means "bastard" in French. Those darn French; got to love em'! You see... If it were the English that invented the batard, it would be something like a "tramp loaf" and what not.

------------------------------------------

I always use a flipping board lined with parchment paper. Although, I havent mastered the technique, I see a lot of professional boulangers (bakers) using flipping boards. But, I also see a lot of brave ones go at it with their bare hands.

Watch this video and towards the end (at about time mark 6:00) Ciril Hitz transfers his different breads from a couche to his loader....

<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RgqPli_sLLM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgqPli_sLLM

If you mash a botch of wet dog, trundle it lumpwise to the barking stone.  It never fouls.

Glenn

Gary Gary Gary, you are over thinking this situation. I was trying to get you to see the simplicity of minimal handling of the well proofed dough. If you proof seams up, all that is needed is to roll the oblong dough over onto the flipping board lifting the end of the linen fabric, so as to roll the dough seams down onto the board. No need to use the peel and risk damaging the fragile blob. Simply load. The fewer times you handle the dough, the better.

Eric

and I've made my own refinement that serves me well.

I've cut a board from 1/4" birch plywood that is 20" long and 8" wide. My home oven's interior is 22", and my baking stone is 20" wide.  When I bake baguettes, 20" long, I proof them seam side up, flip them onto the long side of plywood board, well dusted with rice flour. I gently straighten the loaf, if necessary, slash it and, presenting the wide side of the board to the oven, transfer it to directly to the pre-heated baking stone. I generally bake three baguettes at a time--all my home oven will allow--so I do the fllip, slash and transfer three times. I've not seen offered, nor own a commercially made peel wide enough the load a single baguette. I own a Superpeel, and an aluminum pizza peel. The Superpeel is too heavy and clumsy, for me. I sometimes use the aluminum peel for removing baked loaves, never for loading.

I also use the board when I load batards--I prefer using this word--proofed in bannetons (naturally proofed seam side up). I generally make 750g loaves; the oven accomodates two loaves side-by-side. I've found both my commercially made peels generally two narrow  to load two loaves at one time, and too wide to load them one at a time without freguently damaging the first loaded loaf with the side of the peel while loading the second loaf. For two batards or boules--like that word, too--I place a loaf on the dusted board, slash it and, presenting the narrow side to the baking stone, position the loaves accurately.

There are down sides, obviously: opening the oven two or three times, with the repeated loss of steam and heat, being the worst. Nonetheless, after much experimenting this approach works best for me.

David G

P.S. I was a Boy Scout; I am a veteran, and, in younger years, back-packed hundreds of miles of this great country. I speak only English, and love America. Nevertheless, one of my favorite mountain ranges will always, for me, be the Grand Tetons.