brushing excess flour from baked crust

[Thirties]

What brush do you use?

[texassourdough]

I don't. Assuming you are talking pizza you can easily knock the excess off by slapping it from one hand to the other as you set it on the peel. And yes, that works even with relatively wet, fragile doughs.

[BrianShaw]

For other breads (the non-flat kinds) I often brush off flour and use a cheap natural fiber paintbrush - 4 inch wide.

[Thirties]

Thanks, Brian. I'll try that. I'm talking about a boule loaf, not a pizza.

[texassourdough]

Sorry about my answer. Duh! This is the Hearth Bread thread but it didn't register...

If I were to remove excess flour from bread the method would tend to be a function of the bread. My first choice would be to simply knock it off (like say ciabatta). On other breads I would tend to use a towel or a brush depending on the look of the bread. I don't like to do that, though for brushing the flour off messes up the look of the bread IMO.

Excess flour on a boule seems likely to be indicative of sticky, underdeveloped dough. Adding some stretch and folds to the process should allow you to use less flour and hopefully avoid the problem.

Good Luck!
Jay

[Thirties]

I'll get a slightly stiff brush today. I need the flour in the banneton to allow the formed proofed dough to fall into my hand so I can drop it more-or-less centered in the very hot cast iron dutch oven. As a result, most of the flour on the crust is on the top surface.

[BrianShaw]

Originally Posted by texassourdough

... though for brushing the flour off messes up the look of the bread IMO.

I agree, it often does mess up the look.

I sometimes brush it off, then spritz eith H2O in an attempt to get back "the look". One of my other unconventional methods is to spritz with (I forget the name right now) a commercial dairy-based product for putting a GB&D sheen on baked goods.

[BrianShaw]

Originally Posted by Thirties

I'll get a slightly stiff brush today.

Best thing I've found are the throw-away brushes sold at the hardware store. They are actually not-very-stiff, but shed fibers... so watch for that!