Bread Workshop
Why bagels take a short trip through water before the oven
Understand what boiling contributes to a bagel’s crust, how to organise the water bath, and which observations help you improve the next batch.
From the baking notebook
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Pastry workshop
Hot-water crust pastry is shaped while it is still workable
Hot-water crust behaves differently from chilled pastry. Prepare the mould first, then shape a test piece while the dough is comfortably workable.
Bread skills
Shape a round loaf by building surface tension before the final proof
Learn what surface tension does when shaping a round loaf, how bench flour affects grip, and what to notice before the dough starts tearing.
Bread Workshop
Build a bread-making schedule around the poolish, not just the final dough
Plan a poolish bread bake around preferment maturity, ingredient accounting and a workable mixing schedule, with signs to observe in the bowl.
Baking Skills
Divide soft dough with a bench scraper before reaching for more flour
Portion sticky bread dough with a bench scraper while preserving its intended texture, and learn when extra flour actually helps.
Pastry Skills
Make a Baking-Paper Piping Cone That Holds Its Shape
Fold a small parchment piping cone, secure its seam, and test the opening before decorating a cake or biscuit.