how to proof and transfer ..from . bowl or colander
Hello all...I almost gave up on baking bread but took some time to get it down and finally had my first success this week...thank goodness...
I want to now shape/proof in something to make the bread more round...I don't have any baskets yet and if I can help it if like to proof with something I have already..
If I proof in a plastic mixing bowl what's the best way to flour the bottom (becomes the top)...I've read a floured tea towel will work to let moisture out.....but I also read how people have just oiled it and it was fine....which works??
I can also use a colander type bowl with tea towel but...it might be too small so I'm trying to make the plastic bowl work (lol)..
From there....I want to transfer to a baking sheet...do I have to have parchment paper...why can't I just transfer to a greased baking sheet...and dies it need to be heated or not (as in..in the oven whe .It's preheating)..does it matter, I only ask because I've yet to do the second shape then proof in a container other than what I'm baking in?
Lastly...I don't have rice flour..which I've read u should use in a 4:1 ap flour:rice flour to ensure it doesn't stick....can I use arrowroot flour or cornstarch instead...
If it matters..this is for a rye and bread flour with a little bit stick dough but not much
sheets together upside down to get more mass underneath. Just heat them up with the oven preheat, take them out , overturn the bread onto them, remove the cloth,slash and back in the oven they go with the bread on top., Use rice flour to flour the towel - no terry cloth ones - just flat cotton.
Oiling the bowl does not work as well.
happy baking
The more mass you have to bake the bread on the better and why a heavy stone slab or steel sheet is the best. It retains heat and transfers it quickly t the bread making for better spring. If baking sheets is all you have, then stacking them up will make them more massive as a group and better to bake bread on. Parchment paper is a good thing too since nothing sticks to it., You can overturn the dough onto parchment on a peel, remove the towel and just slide it on the hot sheets.
You can bake on cold sheets too but the spring likely won't be as good.
I'm not sure what u mean by getting more mass, what does that do to baking bread?.......also I don't have rice flour and looking for substitute...sorry I appreciate the response but...still confused and looking for answers....any other thoughts? Appreciate it!
Arrowroot flour or cornstarch would not have the same effect as rice flour. Dough sticks much less to rice flour than to wheat flour. As dabrownman said, you need flat cotton or linen towels. The tighter the weave the better. If you don't have rice flour, then you need to flour your towel very well working the flour into the fabric.
Personally, if you have parchment paper, I would use that to line the bowl, then you can use it as a sling to move your dough from the basket to the baking sheet.
If I used parchment....wouldn't there be no where for moisture to go....as like a towel?
Also I googled a baking stone from what I gather it makes the crust better? So I understand that comment now, thanks for the suggestion I'll do the two pans and see what happens :)...
When I use parchment paper as a liner, I don't turn the dough out. I just lift up the dough with the paper and carry it to the pan and place it down. No flipping. I also score it in the bowl before moving to the pan. It's a different technique. You don't necessarily have somewhere for moisture to go. The advantage of using a cloth liner is that the slight drying of the dough makes it easier to score the dough after you turn it out.
So if I do the two pan thing....I think she said heat it upside down....do I cook bread then on the opposite side of the pan with the top facing down....or did I misunderstand.....also...last time I cooked by spraying with pan and it only stuck the tiniest bit....should I flour instead of pam fortress making
first, then you need to PAM the sheets where the bread will be placed so it doesn't stick. it makes no difference if you bake the bread on the top of the stacked pans or bottom of them - the pans nor the bread care at all it seems:-)
Happy baking
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