I have become quite smitten with hand mixing using the Rabaud method (thank you, Trevor, Your book and videos are superlative). My question goes to how this method would be employed for large scale batches, even if only artisanal in scale - especially for highly hydrated doughs.
A related question, I guess: through Hamelman I know of bucket folding for these batches similar in scale.
I get decent strength employing Rabaud, but so far I've only done it with home-scale batches of 2 kg or so. How, using the above methods (I can better see how the Bertinet technique, even if taxing, could be and is done commercially) do you get good strength using either the Rabaud or bucket folding ( add coil folds too) technique on large, highly hydrated batches?
Many thanks.
Paul
What's bucket folding?
I like this video about dough folding in a commercial setting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQHevpV2bEQ
Perfect, thanks Ilya! As I understand it from Hamelman, what he's doing actually is "bucket folding." And correct me if I'm wrong, but he turns to coil folds about midway in the video. So, if I have it right, he goes directly from mixer to these bins - unless he's hand mixing - and the only means he's got for developing strength from these doughs are the simple letter folding and coil folding - is that right?
Pretty amazing to me. For my humble little 1-2 kgs batches, I have to do numerous folds (as shown by Trevor), not just simple letter and coil folds and relying on time to develop the acidity needed to really tighten up the dough. Guess I should just try it, to see how it works.
Any thoughts on any of this?
He explains that he personally prefers this bucket folding, if that's what it's called, but shows coil folding as an alternative. He has some interesting ideas, like coil folding is convenient early on when the dough is weaker and gravity helps with stretching, but later on it doesn't work as well. But incorporating inclusions is only possible with bucket folds, so he usually just uses those.
I think he develops pretty good strength in the mixer early on, so a few folds are enough.
I didn't get all the way through it so thanks for letting me know this, Ilya. I've got his extensive playlist (!) up and looking forward to watching them.
Edit: I forgot to mention, I don't know if this term "bucket folding" is common. I've only seen it mentioned in Jeffrey Hamelman's book, and I'm not abreast of too much otherwise. Love the techniques.
I think it's just usually referred to as stretch&fold, just a variation for the case of a rectangular container I guess.
I'm sure you're right, Ilya. I've only had occasion to do this kind of fold in 12 qt Cambro containers. There, though, they're so deep I don't find much joy in getting the dough out. Great vids generally - very grateful you pointed them out. Do you know him?
I've seen a few of their videos, don't know anything beyond that. Quite an interesting in-depth view into the operation of a small artisanal bakery!