Perforated pan use

[Wiley]

Has anyone ever used a pan like the one in the attached picture? They have them advertised in the King Arthur Flour "The Baker's Catalogue" but no instructions in the catalogue. Nice enough catalogue but definitely for the high end baker or baker wantabe with deep pockets. Obviously I didn't get mine from them (I picked it up at a thrift store for next to nothing) so if any instructions come with their pans I don't have them.

So does one do the final raise in a couch and move the risen dough to the pan? Or final raise in/on the pan? Does one spray the pan with non-stick or dust with flour? Any insight welcomed :-)

Thanks in advance,
Wiley

[texassourdough]

Re: Perforated pan use

Hi Wiley!

That looks like an Italian bread pan - the distance across the sections will be about 4 inches if that is right. I think a linen couch works as well as anything. Only problem is getting the loaf from the couch to the peel without overly deflating or mussing the loaf.

Pans like these are used in all sorts of ways and the best answer seems to be a function of your dough and oven. Sourdoughs sometimes have a habit of seeping into the pores and gluing themselves to the pan. (Neat trick but not nice!) They seem to work better with conventional, less sticky/soft, lower BP, faster rising doughs. I think spraying them with Pam is a big help to keeping things from sticking. (I don't use them a lot for I don't make a lot of baguettes and when I do I often just use the couch and peel so... It all depends on my mood!)

Hopefully someone with more experience will respond!
Jay

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Perforated pan use

I use something like this as a couche for proofing then flip it out onto a peel and bake on the hearth...

Drake