I've been baking lately on parchment paper.

1. Flat

If I lay the parchment out flat, then set the formed ball of dough on it to
rise, it always flattens out so the height is 1/3 the width. If I hydrate
less (say, 50 to 55%) so the dough ball holds shape, the finished loaf is
more dense than I like. If I hydrate more (say to 65%) to get bigger
crumb, then the finished loaf is really flat.

2. Bowl Shape

If I shape the parchment like a bowl, I can hydrate more and still get a
taller, more spherical finished loaf with large crumb. To shape it, I
press the sheet down into a metal bowl, crease it to hold firm up the
shape, remove the paper, then fold a rim downward to make it hold its
shape. That makes me nervous because if dough rises in it, and it is not
inside a bowl, it will break loose the sides. The better way is simply to
staple the creases in place with an office stapler. Then when I let the
dough do its final rise inside the bowl-shaped parchment paper, it is
nicely more spherical. I slice the top about halfway through the final
rise. I rip the paper off after 15-20 minutes of baking, and the loaf
holds its shape. That's also when I paint the loaf with a milk wash to
impart the shine to the crust.

"Gonorio Dineri" > wrote in message =
.. .

> If I shape the parchment like a bowl, I can hydrate more and still get =
a=20
> taller, more spherical finished loaf with large crumb.

I used to do something like that, with aluminum foil. But I don't do it
anymore. =20

http://home.att.net/~dick.adams/bread.html=20

"Dick Adams" > wrote in message
...

"Gonorio Dineri" > wrote in message
.. .

> If I shape the parchment like a bowl, I can hydrate more and still get a
> taller, more spherical finished loaf with large crumb.

I used to do something like that, with aluminum foil. But I don't do it
anymore.

http://home.att.net/~dick.adams/bread.html

Dicks foil pans are amazing, and look like they work great and it sounds
like your parchment bowls do also. But what are you doing to shape your
ball of dough in the first place? Are you firming it up with stretch and
folds, whats your technique of forming and shaping? Are you proofing in
baskets, or proofing without form? When I put my dough ball in the "basket"
to rise, it is in no condition to hold its shape on its own, it would
flatten out just as you describe. My baskets are just little plastic
colanders lined with cloth, I put rubber bands around the rim to keep the
cloth just 1/8th inch or so off the bottom like a pouch, for good air flow.
I also use tightly woven muslin fabric, its really cheap, and I never flour
the basket and never get stuck. I let it rise a bit in the basket, then put
it in the fridge overnight. It firms up and holds shape pretty well when I
bake them (still cold) in the morning, and the fridge retarded loaves give a
crust that needs no milk or egg wash. I bake on aluminum foil pie pans now
(the dough never touches the sides), these seem to be thin enough for good
heat transfer and are reusable. I guess you could even do something like
Dicks idea with them, but its really not necessary. Just make sure your
baking surface is well heated up. Wait at least 45 minutes after the oven
reaches temp to be sure, and you should get the spherical shapes you are
looking for .

Just trying to help if I can.
hutch