I have become a little obsessed with bread making in the style of Richard Bertinet, from his book, Dough. He doesn't knead the bread but employs the use of, what I believe is called, the French fold, or a version of it anyway. It's a lot of fun, if somewhat noisy, but who can resist all that slapping down of the dough? I have watched various demonstrations of the technique, which vary from a lady-like flick and fold to a demonic hurling down of the dough which no doubt is a bit of a workout but hard on the neighbours. I fall somewhere in between at the moment. My most recent batch came out of the oven looking and tasting perfect but, alas, I inadvertently used greaseproof paper not parchment paper and subsequently had to spend quite a while picking paper off the bottoms. If I could only figure out the best surface to prove the buns on and how to transfer them to the pre-heated baking sheet, without smushing them because they have stuck, I wouldn't need the parchment paper. I'm sure there is a method, as it must have been done somehow before the advent of fancy paper. I will try a floured board and a fish slice next time. I have scoured the book but the advice given is to use a wooden peel to transfer them to your pre heated baking stone. I doubt very much that I will ever acquire either of those items without an intolerable amount of eyebrow raising from the family, some of whom already think it's ridiculous to bake bread when you can buy it anywhere - but they wolf it down none the less. My Daughter is all for my new endeavor, she never liked bread before but loves home baked and eats it plain as if it were succulent cake. I shall move on from buns and the impressive fougasse and try an actual loaf next.
Recent Comments