Mixing Role
Here you’ll find all the information needed to work in the dough mixing role within the bread department. Broadly speaking the responsibilities of this role are to mix all the doughs for that days production, to the schedule so they are ready to scale and shape into loaves that will be baked the following morning.
Our Schedule
Info about the dough schedule including different boards on different days
Notes on dough temperature
It’s important to achieve the desired dough temperature after mixing so that fermentation is strong and predictable. Because of our schedule we need bulk fermentation to take 3.5 hours. This is only possible with the correct dough temperature. Here is a guide to dough temperatures but please talk with your team to find out what is presently working well.
Sourdough - we aim for a final dough temperature of 26c to 27c.
Yeasted and hybrid doughs - 24c to 25c.
### Calculating water temperature
bklurb
Mixing sourdough loaves
Reference recipe in spreadsheet for ingredients and weights required. Make sure “override” is set correctly.
Weigh out flour/s using floor scales. An empty flour bag can be useful for weighing into.
Add first water to the mixer at the desired temperature.
Add sourdough starter and then finally the flour.
Mix for approx 6 minutes on speed one, until all the ingredients are combined.
Rest for 30mins.
Check dough temperature and adjust second water temperature accordingly
Add salt and mix on speed two for 6 mins, adding second water in small increments after a couple of minutes
If additions are being added (seeds, oil etc) mix in on speed 1 for approx 4 mins or until well incorporated.
Mixing Baguette (no second water)
Reference recipe in spreadsheet for ingredients and weights required. Make sure “override” is set correctly.
Weigh out flour/s using floor scales. An empty flour bag can be useful for weighing into.
Add water to the mixer at the desired temperature.
Add sourdough starter, poolish and then finally the flour.
Mix for approx 6 minutes on speed one, until all the ingredients are combined.
Rest for 30mins.
Add salt and mix on speed two for 6 mins.
If additions are being added (seeds, oil etc) mix in on speed 1 for approx 4 mins or until well incorporated.
Mixing Focaccia / Ciabatta
Same method as Sourdough Loaves and add oil at the end as an addition
Mixing sandwich loaf
Same method as Baguette. Add all ingredients to the mixer except oil. Add oil as an addition at the end.
Removing from mixer
The recipe will tell you how many dough tubs you need and what weight you should put in each. Lightly oil your tubs (Rapeseed oil for Focaccia/Ciabatta, veg oil for the rest) and stack ready for filling. Add one to the floor scales and make sure it’s zero’d.
Wet your hands, stretch a small amount of dough up from the main mass with one hand and use a bread knife or a scraper to cut it free. Alternatively you can use your free hand to squeeze the dough to separate it. If you feel your hands sticking to the dough, dip them in water again. You can also wet the tool you are using. Add the separated dough lump to the tub on the scales and repeat until you have the desired amount in the tub. Repeat until all the tubs are filled.
Ensure each tub weighs correctly. This is a good double check to make sure the dough is correct. If the overall weight is wrong by more than 500g please talk to a colleague and work together on diagnosing what might have gone wrong. Often it’s just forgetting to zero the scales. Or it may be a mistake in weighing the ingredients.
Before starting your next mix you need to give the mixer a scrape out, especially if the last dough had seeds in it. If the last dough had any allergens in it the mixer should be thoroughly cleaned with soapy water to ensure no cross contamination.
Bulk fermentation & turns
Blurb fermentation is the period from when the dough is out of the mixer to when it is ready to scale and shape. The time varies depending on the dough. The schedule for the day will indicate the times. Each dough gets turned in it’s tub between 2 and 4 times, again depending on the dough. The turning process can be demonstrated by a colleague. The purpose of the turns is to stretch the dough, aligning and strengthening the gluten. It also helps to equalise the temperature throughout the dough mass, enabling more even fermentation.
Clean down
It’s always good to keep tidy as you work, cleaning starter tubs as you go and cleaning up any mess you make. Once all the doughs are mixed you need to give your section a thorough clean - clean the mixing table, scales, any jugs and bowls used and scrape down the mixers to remove any excess dough, seeds etc. Clean floor scales and sweep up any flour.
Prepare for next day
Before you end your shift you need to make sure you have restocked the flour, written up the schedule for tomorrow (based on the numbers provided after midday) and weighed out your first batch (dry ingredients only).