[Sca-cooks] Manchets

[Terry Decker]

.> Femke said:
> <<< I believe the recommendation for semolina was to strew on the baking 
> sheet to prevent sticking.  It was in response to Bear's faboo description 
> of his experimentation with manchet based on Markham's recipe and period 
> weights.  In that light, it's actually not a bad idea. >>>
>
> So what is the advantage of using semolina flour (or cornstarch/corn 
> flower) for this instead of the flour you are already using or "regular" 
> wheat flour of some type?
>
> Is it more the fact that you want something coarse? Or something that 
> burns at a higher temperature or something else?
>
> Is this something you need to do on the floor in a thermal mass oven as 
> well? Or just something you need to do in a modern type oven?
>
> Stefan
.
There is no particular advantage.  All this does is create a layer between 
the baking surface (baking sheet, oven floor, etc.) and the loaves to be 
baked.  It was a common practice to scatter meal in thermal mass ovens to 
reduce scorching the bottom crust by providing some insulation and a 
covering over any residual ash.  It works even better on modern baking 
sheets.  I've been using the method for 20 years or so and find it superior 
parchment or grease for sheet baked breads.  It cleans up with a shake over 
the trash can and a swipe of the sponge.

Semolina would have been available throughout period where corn (maize) meal 
would not.  Crushed millet also works well and would likely have been less 
costly than semolina.  Corn meal is cheap and performs the same function.  I 
have switched to flour when I am baking for someone with an allergy to 
maize.

Coarse meal covers better with less waste than finer ground meals.  I've 
never tried corn starch (or any starch for that matter), but I think it 
would be far more expensive than coarse meal.  Also, starch is an extracted 
carbohydrate that is convertible to sugar.  I'm not sure how this would 
affect the baking, but I suspect it will burn at a lower temperature than 
flour.

Bear