Another (of the many!) problems I am having is that seam at the bottom created during shaping opens up. The result is that after final proove the top of the loaf (which will become the bottom) is often mishapen and uneven. Also during the bake the bottom will open up further. I squeeze the seam together and seal it up with my fingers. Any thoughts on what might causing this?
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Hi redrich,
If the dough has dried too much due to not being kept in a 'humid' environment or has picked up too much flour from your bench top then the seam might not heal as you have described.
It is quite likely the latter so you should try to avoid getting flour on the section of the dough mass that is going to form the seam. Also most of the demos that I have seen recommend using the heel of your hand to give a good firm press onto the bench for making the seam so you might try that as well. Perhaps this will bring moist dough into contact that will then weld together.
Keep on bakin'
Farinam
There are many videos to help you learn how to shape your dough properly, here is one link at youtube for shaping sourdough....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45z18TtFijU
When I shape and there is a seam that is struggling to seal, I just rub a wet finger over it, then is seals and sticks well... In fact, the way i shape (quite wide but not round - for an oval large banetton), I usually wet a little what will be the seam side, then once it's shaped, drop it onto a floured bit of the bench, seam down, for a few seconds, then I invert it into the banetton. It never really comes apart, but if any little bit does, I wet per above and pinch it back, and it never opens after that.