Handling wet dough

[james]

We have produced the next two videos -- with audio, on Handling Wet Dough and Shaping Kaiser Rolls. The best way to access them is through FB.com here:

http://www.fornobravo.com/video/hearth_bread.html

Enjoy!
James

[Richard]

Re: Handling wet dough

WHile I have been making the No-need-Bread with good success, seeing Jim hanlde the dough and his instructions should produce any even better loaf.

Thank You Forno Bravo and Mary G Artisan Breads for bringing us this valuable and informative information

[dmun]

Re: Handling wet dough

I saw this for the first time today. I'm quite impressed, getting that wet dough out of the glass bowl without any sticking. It can't be just the wet scraper. Is the bowl lubricated?

Does the dough adhere to the counter after the second rise, or rest? What counter material are you using?

Good bread handling, and video. Thanks for your efforts.

[CanuckJim]

Re: Handling wet dough

Dmun,

The original NYT article recommended just mixing up the dough and letting it rise in the same bowl. To me, this is just nuts. I mix up the dough in one bowl, then transfer it to another that has been misted with spray oil. Otherwise, I can't fathom how you could get it to release. You'll see that it sticks a bit toward the end, but that was because I must have missed a section near the rim with the spray oil. The brand I use is called President's Choice here, and it's an unflavoured canola oil. Works just fine. You don't have to go crazy with the oil; just enough to cover the glass surface. I prefer glass to other materials; seems more slippery.

You can't see it, because the Corian sheet I use is white, but the surface has been pretty heavily dusted with flour before the dough is turned out. Therefore, no sticking.

The rest time, covered with plastic wrap, is about fifteen minutes or so before shaping. The bread baking section will address this, but after shaping, I transfer the dough to an upside down sheet pan that has been covered with a piece of parchment paper, misted with oil and dusted with flour, cornmeal, semolina, your choice. I have a source for coarse, stone ground cornmeal that I'm favouring just now. The dough is then covered again with plastic wrap and left to rise again for about three hours (the original NYT article said 1-2 hours; NOT). Be a bit casual with this: depends on the warmth of your kitchen and humidity levels. You want it to more than double in size.

When you're ready to bake, just slide your hand under the parchment paper, turn the dough upside down and dump it in. Makes the whole procedure cleaner, quicker and a lot less stressful.

Jim

[Les]

Re: Handling wet dough

Jim,

Thanks for the clarification. I have made this bread a few times now and the dough consistency has ALWAYS been perfect for a craft project. Your approach is extremely clean.

Thanks again,

Les?

[maver]

Re: Handling wet dough

Dmun,

The original NYT article recommended just mixing up the dough and letting it rise in the same bowl. To me, this is just nuts. I mix up the dough in one bowl, then transfer it to another that has been misted with spray oil. Otherwise, I can't fathom how you could get it to release.

Jim

I've been following the suggestion in the recipe - for the rise I return it to the original bowl, but I first cover the bottom of the bowl with a generous amount of flour which I then sprinkle with wheat bran. The wheat bran is what really helps it release, and I think a thicker layer of wheat bran alone would work well, I just figure on using just enough wheat bran as I think will stick to the surface with baking and then use the flour as a second interface for insurance. When it's ready to bake I just turn the bowl upside down over the dutch oven and wait for it to drop in - like waiting for ketchup to drip out of the bottle.

[CanuckJim]

Re: Handling wet dough

Maver,

You're accomplishing more or less the same thing. However, I'd be a little careful about how far the dough actually drops, because you might risk deflating it at the height of its rise. I use the method I do to keep the risen dough as close to the rim of the hot pot as I can. No doubt both will work.

Jim

[fdn1]

Re: Handling wet dough

I finally figured out how to get the videos to work using Quick Time on my computer. (I suspect there is an easier way then having to go to the FornoBravo site and copy the URL for the video into the QuickTime open URL menu but I am happy that I can now at least see the video.) The videos are very helpful to someone like myself who ius just starting to bake bread in my pizza oven.

I use the same proceedure on all the videos but can only get the audio portion on some of them. Can anyone provide a hint as to obtaing the audio on all of the videos?

[CanuckJim]

Re: Handling wet dough

Fred,

The audio problem is not your problem. Not all of them have audio, because originally I was using my digital camera, and it does not do sound. Redbricknick helped out with a couple, using a pro voice. Now I have a camcorder, so the clips will have sound from now on.

Jim

[Xabia Jim]

?? for CJ

C Jim,

Was that a portable sheet of Corian you used in the video? Interesting concept if that's so.

You floured the dough and then folded it. Does that give you a dry flour layer in the bread or does it become incorporated into the bread loaf ok?

X Jim

[CanuckJim]

Re: Handling wet dough

Jim,

The Corian sheet is portable. Scooped it from a job. It was custom made for one area, but plans changed, so it was junked. The flour, both above and below the dough, becomes incorporated into the wet dough, so there's no discernable flour layer in the finished bread. In effect, the yeast eats it all. What you want to do is use just enough flour so the dough doesn't stick to the Corian or you. High hydration doughs are very forgiving in this way, unlike, say, a hearth bread, where excess flour will affect the end result.

Jim