Ear troubleshooting (and dough sticking to banneton)
In the image, you can see the two loaves from my latest batch. The loaf in the back formed a good ear, whereas the one in the front did not. I've been getting a good ear maybe half of the time, the other half it looks something like the loaf in the front. What can I do to ensure I consistently get a good ear?
The other problem I'm having is dough sticking to the banneton. So far I've been using either bread flour or whole wheat flour. I might start trying rice flour since that seems to be what most people suggest. I am not using a liner in the banneton and I usually do an overnight proof in the fridge. I put the loaves inside a plastic bag during the overnight proof. I did something similar to https://www.weekendbakery.com/posts/video-how-to-break-in-a-new-banneton/ the first time I used the bannetons. It seemed to help the first time, but the dough has been sticking more and more over time (which was 2-3 months ago). Is this form of "breaking in" actually something worth doing? Last night I thoroughly cleaned out the bannetons and I am considering whether I should repeat this "break in" procedure.
That top loaf looks perfect to me. Took me a long time until I got scoring right. Really a long time.
Are you using steam?
My dough also used to stick. I now use a combination of white flour and rice flour and rub it into the interstices of the bannetons I use. It took me a while until they stopped sticking.
hester
I used a dutch oven for both loaves. Do you think the main issue is how I'm scoring the loaves?
I was just sharing my experience. For me it was the scoring.
Tell me about your bulk fermentation and how your dough behaves when you shape it for final rise... and where and for how long it rises. Also, what the hydration?
Better yet (in addition) can you post a crumb shot, esp. of the bottom loaf? that might help us.
hester
Unfortunately I do not have a crumb shot, though the crumb looked decent on both. Fairly similar to the crumb shot posted here http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/58273/first-time-using-dutch-oven .
I'm using the tartine recipe, so hydration is around 80%. My typical procedure is something like:
Not sure how to describe "how my dough behaves when I shape it for final rise". It behaves quite well, the dough feels smooth and elastic, I do end up deflating it a bit during the final shaping.
so I have zero advice. 80% hydration is way more than I would try .... so you'll have to get advice from bakers who do that %age routinely... Sorry. I don't know enough to help you out. That crumb shot you linked to seems just perfect to me. Just perfect. If I baked that I'd be dancing a jig....
hester
i just about danced a jig the first time i used a dutch oven, i've been mostly pleased with the good results i've been getting, another example: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/58383/another-beauty . aside from the ear not forming half of the time, baking has been jig worthy.
Jig worthy is right.
Did they bake in separate DOs at the same time, or did you have to line up your bakes, wait for the oven to heat back up? Just a thought.
I like rice flour, and need less and less of it for the cloth in my baskets.
Keep on baking.
Carole
I have only one dutch oven, so I baked one after the other. The one in the back went in first. What I usually do is preheat the oven (dutch oven preheats inside oven) for about an hour. I have not been waiting for oven to heat back up in between bakes though, I've always assumed both the dutch oven and oven are pretty close to at temperature. I can't recall if its always the second loaf that doesn't develop a good ear. I'll pay a little closer attention to this.
between batches so try reheating your oven and pot to temperature plus 10 or so minutes. Can’t hurt to try.
will give this a try
I always wait for the cloche top to reheat b/f baking my next loaf. It's a must. After the first loaf comes out, I replace the cloche top and wait at least 15 - 20 minutes b/f putting in my next one. just my 2 centimes
i will give this a try
I use the cast iron Lodge combo cooker, which is round. But I am very curious what dutch oven you are using to get these great batards!?
I don't think a batard would fit nicely in a round combo cooker...?
i have a martha stewart 8qt round dutch oven, its around 11.5 inches in diameter. even though its round, an oval loaf fits just fine. these loaves were proofed in a 10 inch oval banneton.
...very little difference among the iron Dutch ovens, other than what's obvious from looking at them. You can get round or oval, enamel or bare, bigger or smaller... and truly, that's about it. If you see a brand with hundreds of bitter complaints of bad quality, avoid it. Otherwise, you can pretty much take your pick.
Probably the most common complaint is that very hard pieces of low-quality enamel will flake off, potentially putting dangerous shards into the food. Bare iron obviously never has that problem. ?
So, buy bare iron, or iron with decent-quality enamel on it.
The other common difficulty is a handle that won't stand up to high heat.
A couple points:
- people recommend 50/50 rice/AP flour mix because it makes a difference...use it.
- don't put the bannetons in a tightly sealed plastic bag overnight. This has made a really big difference for me in the past. At most a showercap over the top, but even then, I'd poke some holes in it. Also, I've noticed a difference in whether they are sitting on a solid glass shelf in the fridge, or raised on a cooling rack or sitting on chopsticks laid on the shelf...the latter options stick less for me. You might need to do some tinkering and trial and error to get something optimal in terms of covering with some ventilation, but it could be worth messing with.
i'll try not using a plastic bag next time. would you recommend "breaking in" the banneton (i don't use a liner) as described in the link I posted? ( https://www.weekendbakery.com/posts/video-how-to-break-in-a-new-banneton/ )
with a new banneton aside from using 50% rice flour and 50% unbleached flour. I don’t scrape mine out after use but I make sure they are completely dry before stacking them to store. Over time, the layer of flours builds up and you need very little of the rice flour mixture for even your wettest dough to not stick. I do occasionally put the bannetons in a cooling oven to make sure no nasty things are growing.