This is about a flipping board BUT also how to use it.
I've got a baguette baking sheet (perforated with 3 "slots") but found that proofing the dough in them, the high hydration dough tends to "leak" out minorly through the perforations while proofing and when baked, well that dough forms little rivets and oh my, I lose all the crust on the bottom.
I just received a big couche that I'm going to be using for proofing and my question relates to a flipping board.
Several *really old* threads discuss making one and I've got some cabinet "backing board" that I will cut into a 4" by 20" flipping board.
My question relates to - - - how do I move the dough from the couche to the baking stone?
I assume one at a time (as the board is only 4" wide) but do I just leave the oven door open with the stone on the pulled-out rack till all 3 loaves are on the stone or.......??
It seems I will lose an awful lot of heat having to leave the door open while transferring 3 loaves.
What do others do?
Secondary to this I guess is:
do you use that flipping board to place the dough directly on the stone OR
does it go from couche to flipping board to peel to baking stone?
If the second, that really answers my question that started this thread.
Voyager,
Get the peel ready. Parchment (optional but helps control the mess). Dust parchment with polenta or semolina. I used to omit the parchment but my sweet wife convinced me that managing all the polenta detritus is much simpler with the parchment. She was right!
Position your couche close to the peel. Mine is always contained in a half-sheet (11x18?) pan so easy to do.
Dust transfer board with flour. Pull out the couche to leave one baguette on a now relatively flat plane. Hold the board by the left edge of the baguette. Pick up the couche material on the right side of the baguette and roll the dough onto the board. Assuming you placed the shaped baguettes in the couche seam-side up, the seam should now be on the bottom of the dough. Slide the baguette onto the peel. Repeat for remaining baguettes. I find that a new dusting of the board for each transfer mostly eliminates occasional dough sticking to the board which can make the transfer to peel awkward if not disastrous.
Slash and mist (optional) the dough. Slide the baguettes off the peel onto your pre-heated baking stone or steel. Another benefit of using parchment is that you can turn all 3 baguettes around at once (I often do 180° flip 2/3 through the bake) by rotating the paper. I usually bake 3 baguettes at a time. If you bake baguettes often, as I do, you’ll have this wired soon.
Bonne chance,
Phil
Phil: do you find that the bottoms don't get as crispy using parchment (vs not using it) on the stone?
Using p/p would certainly make life easier.
If/when using parchment paper under bread r pizza on a very hot stone or steel, be sure to check that the parchment will tolerate that high level of heat. There are different types of parchment paper and some of the less expensive options will burn at about 400 degF.
Thanks for the tips. AND wasn't aware p/p had an upper heat limit so 👍