I am having trouble rolling a loaf. I use a loaf pan, and a banneton. I have watched 4-5 videos online, and I can not seem to make it work. The loaves look great as they are proofing. But, as soon as I put them in the oven, they turn into this. They crack, split, swell, etc. Am I not rolling tight enough? Do I need to put more pressure? Does anyone have suggestions? A link to a video to watch, etc.?
Thank you.
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Also, I have made 20-30 loaves. Practiced the techniques I have watched. I still get these not so pretty loaves. They taste great and have nice texture.
Hello jellikit,
A technique that I have found useful is the press the dough out into a roughly square shape about the size of a piece of letter paper. If you are making a batarde, closer to round is OK or if for a pan, closer to square is better. You then fold the top edge into the centre and press the edge down to make it seal. Then you repeat the exercise for the bottom edge. Next, you fold the new top edge to meet the new bottom edge and repeat the sealing process.
Minimum/no flour is the way to go or the dough will not seal reliably. For a batarde, you could give the loaf a bit of a roll to taper the ends but not absolutely necessary if you are using a banneton. Put the loaf into the banneton with the seam side up to prove so that the seam will be on the bottom of the loaf for baking. For a tinned loaf, and you will understand why closer to square is better, you might need to square up the ends a little by tucking the ends under to the seam side and then the seam side goes down into the pan.
Hope this helps and good luck with your projects.
Farinam
Thank you for the advice!
i have been doing what you describe (for the most part). I will try using little to no flour on my countertop. I believe the amount of flour I'm using is not excessive, but I will definitely try what you suggest. I am pasting the link to the video that I have had the most success with. But I still can not roll out a nice and pretty loaf. Maybe no flour on the surface is the way to go? Thanks again! Here's what I have been doing the last few times......
https://youtu.be/Odldw1kc95o
That bread looks fine, that is just the natural tear of the expanding loaf , its not blowing out in one area which can end up with grotesque deformities, its fairly even the loaf has maintained its basic shape and showing all the characteristics of the plain Italian style loaf , The loaf has not been scored which would determine where the expansion of the loaf would otherwise occur.