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Michel Suas' Advanced Bread and Pastry Book

HMerlitti's picture
HMerlitti

Michel Suas' Advanced Bread and Pastry Book

I noticed that in all the formulas the column on the far right is "test".    What does that mean???

BakerBen's picture
BakerBen

HMirlitti,

If you look in the text there is a Formula footnote after "some" of the formulas that explains the TEST column.  For example, if you look on page 186 - BAGUETTE, SHORT MIX, STRAIGHT - has the following: 

Yielld  13 (12 oz (0.35 kg)) loaves

Test    2 1/2 (12 oz (0.35 kg)) loaves

I was not able to find an explicit explanation of the columns, but I would believe he is making it easy for a commercial baker to "test" a formula by providing this column so he/she does not have to perform any math to determine a small quantity batch.  A nice side effect is that this also provides the home baker a nice batch size to use too.

It would have been nice to define the columns when the topic of formulas were first addressed.  Hope this helps.

Ben

 

holds99's picture
holds99

HMirlitti,

I've baked quite a few of the recipes/formulas from Suas' AB&P.  As I recall, most, if not all of his test formulas make a 2 lb loaf.  I usually double his test formula and make two - 2 lb loaves.  I really like this book very much.  There are a couple of breads in this book that I believe are excellent.  The first is Swiss Mountain Bread on page 223.

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/9054/michel-suas039-mountain-bread-switzerland-advanced-bread-and-pastry

Another that I really like is Pain Meunier on page 254. 

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/9510/michel-suas039-pain-meunier-advanced-bread-and-pastry

FWIW. AB&P is a great baking book, but I think it's oriented more toward professonal bakers than home bakers.  That being said, there's no reason a proficient home baker can't use and thoroughly enjoy this book.

Howard

 

HMerlitti's picture
HMerlitti

Ben,

I saw the foot note and guessed that is was for producing a test loaf and now you have confirmed my guess.

Howard,

I noticed that the poolish for the test loaf was smaller than usual.   May be that is because the test loaves are small.

His baguette formulas is quite a bit different that the one in Bread Bakers Apprentice so I though I would try it.  I compared the percentages.

  I am curious to find out how two baguette formulas can be so different.

The poolish is in the frig now.

holds99's picture
holds99

Please let us know how the baguettes turn out and post some photos if possible. 

Thanks,

Howard