I usually make two different loaves at a time. With holiday baking/gift giving, I’ve been doubling recipes and splitting after the bulk fermentation, after I stretch the dough and before I fold it. Does this make sense? Should i split the dough right after scraping it out of the bowl and onto the counter? Does it matter? Please reply by 9 pm E.S.T. 
1 Like
I took a class at the San Francisco Baking institute. We made large batches of various breads. The dough would be mixed then stored in large bins for rising, stretch and folds and the like. Then the dough would be parceled out by weight and loaves pre shaped then rest for 5 mins. And then shaped into their desired form and set to rise. At home, for making pizza dough with kitchenaid, I make two or more batches and combine them to make a large batch and then follow the above procedure. That’s how I do it.
1 Like
Thank you, Jerry. I did that with a double dough yesterday, minus the weighing, and it worked out well. Gotta remember to flour my metal cutter tool. (Gotta look up the name for that tool…)
Sounds like a fun class
Have you ever doubled a recipe and just baked it as one gigantic loaf? If so, how did you adjust proofing and baking times?
I’m hoping to make a giant loaf for Thanksgiving this year, but I’ve never tried it, so it’s unclear to me what, if anything, would be notably different.
Never done it. Great idea though!
Most loaves I make are close to 1kg if high hydration. A double dough would be 2kg. I googled miche since they seem huge. Apparently, at least 1.5kg minimum to be called a miche, and cook times are all over the place. One site said 60 min. Another 70-75 min. All seem to advise around 450 F, not higher.
I would love to hear how it goes if you do it.
1 Like
@Phillip
I did it! I couldn’t resist.
Here are my notes. I cold proofed the mega-boule in one of my mixing bowls, with a very heavily floured tea towel because I went high h2o 80%.
I read somewhere to not go directly from fridge to oven because of the mass that needs to warm up. I did 30 min at room temp while the oven was preheating.
I flipped it out onto parchment because it was going to barely fit in the 9 quart dutch oven and I needed to have some control.
2kg dough, 70% of the flour whole grain Kamut
I baked at 450 F
(30 min preheat with dutch oven in oven)
35 min lid on
15 min lid off
5-10 min, oven off, out of DO and on rack, door ajar
Here is the photo I put on instagram that shows how big the loaf is 
2 Likes
That looks great! I’ve now done it twice, and it’s been a success each time (both loaves were a white/whole wheat blend with dates and walnuts). I’ve found that extending the baking time by about 5–7 minutes does the job. I preheated to 250C, but then lowered the temp to 220C for the actual baking.
The size of the final product is nearly comical. For comparison, the loaf on the right is a standard size. Still, this shot doesn’t really do justice to the size of the loaf, but it’s the only picture I managed to get. We were rushing to get to the Thanksgiving party, where both loaves were consumed.
1 Like
Looks super! Did you bake on a stone or in a large DO?
Thanks, Melissa.
For my “monster loaves,” I used a large, cast iron dutch oven. I have yet to bake a loaf of bread on a stone, though maybe I should try it. I’ve been addicted to the kind of crust that comes with either a cast iron dutch oven or a clay baker.
I think my next project that could lead to another monster loaf is a Christmas loaf—or at least a Christmas-esque loaf—that could also double as an anytime breakfast loaf. I’m still trying to decide on the ingredients, but, at the moment, I’m thinking it’ll include dark chocolate, bacon, and perhaps dates or figs. I may thrown in a bit of maple syrup too. We’ll see. But for some reason, I like the sound of a huge loaf with ingredients like these.
Bacon ooooh sounds good.
I hear you on the stone vs DO. I also used a dutch oven for my large bread too because i was worried about having a large flop. I will try it someday…
I made another one of these yesterday thru today. I haven’t cut into it yet but here is the formula and a photo of the outside.
600g red fife whole grain
200g rye whole grain
200g bread flour
770g water
150g starter
18g salt
Bulked on the counter for most of the day 68F. Fridge over night. Counter another two hours.
Proofed 2 hrs at room temp.
30 min 500f preheated dutch oven
30 min 450f bake lid on, 15 min lid off.
