Hello,
I used to work in a bakery where most of the bread proofed on couches. The couches would line wooden boards and go on racks.
I am thinking to buy a couche or two for at home use, but my question is what would I use in replace of the board? Does a sheet pan work or is there another way?
Thanks in advance!
I just use a 1/2 sheet pan. Only complaint is standard couche extends well beyond pan edges in all directions, so some unavoidable flour mess. Not sure how bakeries handle this, but I generally shake excess flour off (in garden) after each use and hang to air dry for at least 24 hours. Drying avoids moldy couche since I store the floury beast in a ziplock.
Cheers,
Phil
Do you do this with high hydration doughs? If so, what is the difficulty level of transferring the dough past the sheet pan "lip"?
Provided I have floured the couche well—as I learned to do with a pastry brush back in the bad old days—I can generally move an ~800 g batard from couche to peel with hands or with the wine crate board I use as a transfer peel. Then there’s always the roll it from couche to peel method which I find awkward, especially if I am proofing multiple pieces on the couche. In truth, I have found that I get such great oven spring from 70-80% hydration doughs based roughly on dmsnyder’s San Joaquin Sourdough, that I can reduce handling by doing final proof on semolina-sprinkled parchment directly on the peel. I should probably also mention that my doughs tend to include a poolish (~25% of total flour) in addition to levain (~10%of total flour) wiith whole grain flours (5-20% of total flour).
TMB Baking in South San Francisco used to sell proofing boards. That's where I bought mine. I generally use just one at a time, as a home baker. No need (or room) for a speed rack.
David
Looks like they still do. OK prices on bannetons, too.
David, many, many thanks for your copious notes and well-documented process thoughts. I have learned much from you. SJ Sourdough, Bouabsa and Gosselin a few of my favorites.
Phil
For your kind words. I am happy to have helped other bakers.
David