The Fresh Loaf

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20101215 / 20110124 Mr. Hamelman's Poolish Baguette Formula

Yippee's picture
Yippee

20101215 / 20110124 Mr. Hamelman's Poolish Baguette Formula

 

Happy New Year of the Rabbit!  I wish you all a year of good health and many delightful surprises in your baking adventures.  I kicked off my baking in the (calendar) New Year with Mr. Hamelman's poolish baguette formula.  This was also the formula that concluded my baking last year.   Both bakes were full of uncertainties.  As usual, I had to figure out a fermentation process that would fit my schedule for this type of commercial yeast/poolish leavened dough, which I had rarely dealt with in the past years.   I managed to get it to work, but a few more experiments will probably provide further assurance that everything's under control.  

 

In these two bakes, I tried a different hold of the lame when scoring the baguettes; and employed my favorite 'exit strategy' to shape this baguette dough into a boule when I was desperately out of time.  The new way of scoring was awkward and did not work as well on the baguettes as the old one.   On the other hand, the boule turned out okay.  I got a better idea of what my future cold fermentation schedule for yeasted dough should be. Good news did not just stop there.  The most exciting moment came when I finally produced pictures that didn't seem to come from the underworld.  For the first time, I got pictures of bread that were hubby-approved.   I love looking at them now!   From now on, no more eyesores, I promise.

 

And here they are:

The eyesores

and the NOT

 

Some of you have asked about my setup and procedure, which are quite simple, as you'll see below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will be submitted to Susan's Yeastspotting!

Comments

Barbara Krauss's picture
Barbara Krauss

Even your eyesores have been tons better than what I've been baking lately.  Just beautiful! 

mrfrost's picture
mrfrost

I dare say those crusts are the best I've seen. Would love to be able to predictably achieve such some day.

Would you mind sharing your baking set up? What kind of oven, steaming method, stone, cloche, etc?

Thanks.

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

David

Yippee's picture
Yippee

for your kind words! 

 

@ Dear Mr. Frost:

I'll update the information once I get done with all the cooking for the New Year!

 

Yippee

mrfrost's picture
mrfrost

Thanks.

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Hello Yippee, Thanks for sharing photos of your breads and their gorgeous crust.
I am interested too in your method (what a beautiful result!). 
Thanks, from breadsong

hanseata's picture
hanseata

Karin

Yippee's picture
Yippee

Karin and Breadsong. 

 

 

@Breadsong and Mr. Frost:

My entry has been updated with information you both requested.  Hope it helps.

 

Yippee 

mrfrost's picture
mrfrost

Thank you. Gotta try that dual stone set up one of these days. Guess I'll dig out my broken, jigsaw puzzle of an old pizza stone to use on top.

 

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Thanks so much for taking the time to post the additional information.
The blistered crust you've achieved on your boule is one of the prettiest I've ever seen! I'm looking forward to trying a cold fermentation period as you have, with this formula of Mr. Hamelman's.  Thanks again, from breadsong 

Yippee's picture
Yippee

Breadsong:

You're welcome! I'll share my procedure once I'm completely satisfied. In the meantime, it's WIP (work in progress).

Yippee