Loaf Shape?

[Dutchoven]

Re: Loaf Shape?

Just an addition from a somewhat experienced baguette baker...you need a flipping board to get it from the couche to the peel...flip onto the board topside down then invert onto the peel...as far as getting them off the peel...quick flip and off the front just like any other loaf...you can even use the peel to straighten them out a bit...sometimes they roll in the oven a bit from the crazy ovenspring the WFO give
Good luck and it is all in the way you hold your tongue
Best
Dutch

[heliman]

Re: Loaf Shape?

Do you guys not use a baguette rack/tray with holes in it for baking uniform baguettes?

I have seen the commercial bakery guys use them with good results.

[texassourdough]

Re: Loaf Shape?

Hi Rossco!

I have baguette trays and I use them from time to time but IMO they give a commercial looking loaf and I want the artisanal, hand-crafted look. Part of why a bit rustic doesn't bother me at all. But I do use them a couple of times a year...usually when I want to do a double batch of batards and short baguettes and don't want to stage the baking.

[Dutchoven]

Re: Loaf Shape?

Do you guys not use a baguette rack/tray with holes in it for baking uniform baguettes?

I have seen the commercial bakery guys use them with good results.

Some of them are not a heavy enough gauge and warp in the high temp of the WFO and others are treated with a nonstick surface and are definitely no good in the WFO...otherwise they are fine but I am like Jay and like the uniqueness of the handcrafted look...
Best
Dutch

[Pdiff]

Re: Loaf Shape?

Just an addition from a somewhat experienced baguette baker...you need a flipping board to get it from the couche to the peel...flip onto the board topside down then invert onto the peel...as far as getting them off the peel...quick flip and off the front just like any other loaf...you can even use the peel to straighten them out a bit...sometimes they roll in the oven a bit from the crazy ovenspring the WFO give
Good luck and it is all in the way you hold your tongue
Best
Dutch

Thanks for the input Dutch. I will definitely give it another shot. It's a challenge now :-) One of the loaves I did try to slip off the end, but the board was too tall with a sharp edge and unfloured, so the whole loaf stretched length-wise as I pulled the "peel" out from under it. I want to run the board through the planer a few times to thin it out and smooth it up a bit to try again.... and I can definitely see the need for tongue practice! :-)

Pdiff

[heliman]

Re: Loaf Shape?

Thanks for the clarity Jay & Dutch.

I was offered a baguette pan (2nd hand) recently - don't think I'll bother getting it now...

[texassourdough]

Re: Loaf Shape?

Hey, Dutch!

Which way are we supposed to hold our tongue? Or is it a professional secret, sort of like a secret handshake? )

I like your comment on flipping boards. I had not thought of it that way... Not that I have had much need for I can't do long baguettes in my indoor ovens and I almost never do baguettes in the WFO (mainly ciabatta and boules). Makes a lot of sense. Guess I need to make a BIG peel so I can hold LONG baguettes for the WFO so I can refine my forming and flipping techniques!

Thanks!
Jay

[Dutchoven]

Re: Loaf Shape?

Hey, Dutch!

Which way are we supposed to hold our tongue? Or is it a professional secret, sort of like a secret handshake? )

I like your comment on flipping boards. I had not thought of it that way... Not that I have had much need for I can't do long baguettes in my indoor ovens and I almost never do baguettes in the WFO (mainly ciabatta and boules). Makes a lot of sense. Guess I need to make a BIG peel so I can hold LONG baguettes for the WFO so I can refine my forming and flipping techniques!

Thanks!
Jay

Sometimes on the left...sometimes on the right and sometimes out the middle....
an 18 inch piece of masonite makes a pretty good flipping board and as for the peel I would suggest empire bakery equipment...you can buy just the blade then as CJim and I do just trim the sides to the desired width...you can make the handle yourself...they are nice blades...we can load 3 or 4 good sized boule off of it and they come in a couple of lengths as I remember
Figuring out your placement pattern of straight 18 inch baguette in a round oven is fun too
Best
Dutch

[texassourdough]

Re: Loaf Shape?

I hold my tongue upside down - it seems better for flipping!

I have toyed with buying peel blades from Empire. Guess I will have to do it.

Thanks for the grin!
Jay

[Pdiff]

Another followup ...

Been busy at work and didn't post these for a bit, but here they are. I planed down and shaped the peel. About a 1/4" thick now with rounded edges. Also took up Dutch's suggestion and made up a flipping board from 1/4" ply. These both worked really well. I used a bit of semolina to "grease" the peel and the loaves slipped off the end of the peel with no effort or deforming at all. My shaping technique, however, .... well let's just say I'll be working on that! The crumb was nice and open, but the loaves split weird. I think I lost track of where the seams were and the loaves ripped along them. On track for another go this weekend! Been studying shaping more. I may even make up some faux dough to practice on.

PS: Oh. I almost forgot ... I think I have that tongue thing down. At least my wife thinks so ;-)

Pdiff

[Dutchoven]

Re: Another followup ...

Good job! Crumb looks great! As for the shaping thing baguette is tough. Watch a lot of videos if you can and then just as Dizzy Gillespie said "Practice, practice practice!" Sometime the baguette just rip funny even if your shaping technique is good. Sometimes they flip over on their own from the oven spring.
Keep up the good work!
Dutch

Been busy at work and didn't post these for a bit, but here they are. I planed down and shaped the peel. About a 1/4" thick now with rounded edges. Also took up Dutch's suggestion and made up a flipping board from 1/4" ply. These both worked really well. I used a bit of semolina to "grease" the peel and the loaves slipped off the end of the peel with no effort or deforming at all. My shaping technique, however, .... well let's just say I'll be working on that! The crumb was nice and open, but the loaves split weird. I think I lost track of where the seams were and the loaves ripped along them. On track for another go this weekend! Been studying shaping more. I may even make up some faux dough to practice on.

PS: Oh. I almost forgot ... I think I have that tongue thing down. At least my wife thinks so ;-)

Pdiff

[texassourdough]

Re: Loaf Shape?

Hey Pdiff!

Bravo! Nice Peel! (and nice crumb too!)

Way to go!
Jay

[Pdiff]

Re: Loaf Shape?

Ok, last run and then I'll lay off you guys ;-)

I really concentrated on forming and stretching a skin on the loaves this time. Also scaled back on the length and made them half size. These came out well. The hydration was down a notch from the recommended (sorry, don't have the recipe here and can't recall the number). I think if I'd had it a bit higher, I could have avoided the ripping that showed up in all the loaves (all from the same dough). The peel worked good again too and I was able to kick off two at a time from it.

Thanks for the input from every one. I'll keep at this and when I get the perfect baguette, I'll have it shellacked and mounted on the wall. Maybe I'll even have it made into a singing one, like one of those obnoxious mounted fish

Pdiff