Fragmented Fermentation Technique

Not again, I hear you say. Old Mick trotting out yet another photo of a 2 Kilo Pain de Campagne. But no, this is different, honest. And it introduces a radical new fermentation technique which I am calling “Fragmentation”.

Busy weekend. Guy called Richard came to do a bread course which his partner had bought him for Christmas 12 months ago (and paid for at the time – I remember the money well but it went a long time ago). We had a pretty constructive time and he was a good student

Students always get to make different shaped loaves during the course but at 8.30 a.m., before Richard arrived for Day 2, I had the bright idea of knocking up 2K of dough simply for practicing shaping. So, once all the doughs were in the baskets proving, Richard was gainfully employed scaling and shaping 60g rolls, 200g baguettes, etc. Of course, once shaped the gluten is too tight to be reshaped without a rest, so it gets lobbed back in the box and a fresh piece cut and shaped. So the whole was thoroughly hacked to bits several times and serially abused. Eventually it was deposited in the upstairs fridge simply because we needed space on the work surface for assembling pizzas.

I suddenly remembered it about 4.00 p.m. well after Richard had departed with the spoils of the course. I thought it would have been battered beyond redemption but – what the hell – shaped it and whacked it in a basket for 3.5 hours. Baked for 65 minutes at 210C:
Bugger me, it’s the perfect exhibition loaf.

Remember, Folks, you heard it here first – “Fragmented Fermentation Technique”. Bethesda today, San Francisco tomorrow.