The Fresh Loaf

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Sourdough poolish baguettes, Pain de Campagne, Customized kneading board﹐ First post on TFL !

maojn's picture
maojn

Sourdough poolish baguettes, Pain de Campagne, Customized kneading board﹐ First post on TFL !

I enjoy reading here at TFL. So much information, like all experts around the world is here. I finally decide to post today because I am so excited about my new customized kneading board and have to share my happiness!  My kitchen has two commercial grade huge sinks installed. Usually I bake at the island area which has one of the sinks. However, I often feel that the space is not enough on the island b/c the sink has taken up so much. So I figured that the only thing I can do is to cover the sink area (which is >50 inches wide and 20 inches long) with a kneading board while baking and put it away when I am done. However, there is no prebuilt kneading board that can fit my needs on the market. I tried several customizing sites and their price is sky high for me. Finally, I found a site and got a great deal! The guy did a wonderful job! The material is not too heavy but super sturdy. Two lips under the board stabilized it right on top of my sink. He chose a different color for the lips which adds elegancy to the board. I can slide it to right if I need to use the faucet. The surface of the board is just right for kneading dough. Not like my granite countertop, too slippery after I dust with flour. Once I am done baking, simply scrape everything into the sink and put the board away! Heaven! This is the island area. It's double sinks with a draining area on the right which has a slight angle so water will run into sink.
Because of the bases of faucet, soap dispensers, and the button for disposer, there is only 1" of space left for the kneading board to rest.   Since someone asked about the sinks, it's this1 and this2.

The lips of the board uses a different kind of wood which adds 'spices' to it.

 

I can put the board on the left of the sink.

Or to the right if I need to use the faucet.

 

Tones of space for my baguettes dough

 See the height of the board is close to the handle of the faucet.
In case you are curious, that little 'cylinder' is used to estimate how much the dough has risen. I put a tiny piece
of dough from the baguette dough into it and ferment at the same condition. Works like a charm!That flour wand is also very helpful. Never too much flour again! 

Ok, back to my baguettes. I am picky about baguettes that have thin crust, chewy but still soft and moist crumb, beautiful ears (from scoring the dough), and a little sourness. Who doesn't? Unfortunately, I don't have a steam oven. So I use lava stones to create steam. So far so good. Very good steam! The crust is pretty thin. But I need to work on my scoring.

Poolish (or I use my SD starter 600g):
French Flour 300g
water 300g
insant yeast 1g
Ferment at R.T until bubbling. Usually takes 6-8 hours for me. Then refrigerated overnight.

Final dough:
All poolish
French Flour 700g
Water 450g
instant yeast 1 tsp
salt 21g
diastatic malt powder 1tsp
I use mixer gentally mixed everything into a wet ball. lowest speed maybe for a minute or so. Then ferment at R.T. (about 65F here).
30min S/F 2x
30min S/F/2x
30min S/F/1x
1hour S/F/1x
.....
.....
continue to S/F every 1 hour until my small cylender (see picture below) becomes 3 fold (grow from 10 to 30)
sometimes when it's 2 fold, I put it into refrigerator until next evening then continue below.
split to 4 equal dough, preshape, relax for 30min
shape into baguettes, rise for 1 hour
preheat oven with stone and lava rock to 290C (500F)
bake for 20min at 240C, 10 min with steam.
I have used several kinds of flour from King Arthur. But as you can guess, the best texture comes using their
'French style' flour. But that flour is SOOOOOO expensive!

This is BBA's Pain de Campagne. I mixed in some pumpernickel flour so it's color gets tiny dark.

 

Hope you like my first post on TFL !!!

 

Comments

breadforfun's picture
breadforfun

It is a very clever idea to use a small cylinder to monitor the rise of the dough.  And I think you are being too hard on yourself to say that you need better scoring on the baguettes.  I think they look perfect, and the openness of the crumb is excellent.  Is the recipe also from BBA?

I look forward to more of your posts.

-Brad

maojn's picture
maojn

Hi Brat,

Thank you for the encouragement! :)

I bought the cylinder from Amazon. There are 3 other sizes in the little cute set.

This is one of the batches that have better scoring. I am still practicing. Hopefully one day every slash will be good!

This recipe is not from BBA. If you are interested, I can provide. It's a 75% hydration dough.

sirrith's picture
sirrith

Hi, sorry for reviving an old thread, but I was wondering if you could provide a link or the name of the little measuring cylinder you use, I've been trying to look for something similar.  Thanks!

maojn's picture
maojn

Sure. The link is http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-4-Piece-Measuring-Beaker/dp/B008X5HRZU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399988019&sr=8-1&keywords=oxo+mini+measuring+beaker+set
If you have little liquor shot cup, you can use it also. Just fill say 10g of water, mark the height, then add another 10g of water, mark the height. Then you have the 1x and 2x volume info.

sirrith's picture
sirrith

Thank you! :)

I could have sworn I typed "mini measuring" into Amazon's search bar. 

 

chouette22's picture
chouette22

Wow, your kneading board is a fantastic addition to your beautiful kitchen. How come you have such huge sinks? Do you cook professionally? The baguettes' crumb is amazing. What beauties!

maojn's picture
maojn

Thank you chouette22. I do feel so happy about the kneading board! I am from Taiwan and I cook with a huge 16" wak. It's a pain to wash it in a shallow, narrow sink. So when I remodeled the kitchen, I determined that I want 2 sinks, both huge, wide, deep and no water will ever spill. And boy, they surely are satisfactory! And there is no residential sinks with that size. I had to order online for a commercial grade sink. They cost a fortune, but they also changed me. I love cooking and baking so much now! Oh, and, I don't cook professionally. I do maintain a blog but it's in Mandarin. I didn't post this board there simply because most of my readers are in Asia, and they usually don't have lots of space for baking. 

chouette22's picture
chouette22

I can imagine that this has changed your cooking, being able to comfortably wash a huge wok in your sink. Things we have to do many, many times every day should certainly be practical and you have that now. Good for you to make it happen, and now you have the kneading board as well. Nothing can stop you now! :) You will share your baguette formula with us? I am on a quest to produce the "perfect-for-me" baguettes too, so I would be very curious to see how you achieved yours. 

PeterS's picture
PeterS

Those sinks and drainboard are fantastic! And, the bread is impressive, too. Thanks for sharing.

maojn's picture
maojn

Sure thing! I just added the formula in the post. I may change French flour back to All Purpose in the future though since it's reall expensive and had to buy from online since local don't carry it.

Jean

PeterS's picture
PeterS

French flour, as in FRANCE or French style?  Can you give us some detail? I'll bet we can help you find a good alternative.

maojn's picture
maojn
PeterS's picture
PeterS

It has to be a T55 type (about 0.55% ash and 11.7 % protein (give or take). Your typical baguette flour and not unlike King Arthur All Purpose flour (11.7% protein, 0.47% ash). They should bake similarly, the water absorption of the All Purpose may be slightly lower. If I recall correctly, you are in the Pacific NW, right? King Arthur flours are available as are a bevy of other good national and regional products. Armed with that spec you should be able a few alternatives; try going to a local bakery with baguettes that you like and ask them what they are using--many commercial products have retail cousins or the bakery may sell you flour if you ask. If you are anywheres new Seattle, check out Leslie Mackie's Macrina Bakeries. I like Gold Medal Better for Bread flour which is the same as their Harvest King (its spec is 12% protein, 0.52% ash); slightly higher protein and similar ash. It is used by many good bakeries for hearth breads. You can also approximate a T55 by mixing some whole wheat flour into a lower protein all purpose flour. Somebody must have posted about that on this forum and if not readily available, pester me and I'll come up with some numbers.

maojn's picture
maojn

This is great information. I will definitely try the GOLD Medal one and ask for flour used by local bakery. I live in eastern shore of USA, near Washington DC. 

PeterS's picture
PeterS

Eastern shore, ha! I think I saw Washington somewhere in one of your posts and thought of Washington State. LOL. I used to live in Columbia spent a little time on the eastern shore; it's very pretty.

There is a really good bakery Savage Mills, MD (at the Historic Savage Mill and the Inner Harbor, too): Bonaparte Breads. The Savage Mills location bakes all their breads and has a magnificent (and huge) wood fired oven from Spain. If you get a chance to go in the off hours, ask if Annette is in and if she can give you the nickel tour. When I was there last year or so they were using Meunerie Milanaise's organic T50 type (an all purpose with 11.7-11.9% protein, 50-60% ash). She sent me home with a small sample, it was great stuff (breads had great taste and beautiful color). I subsequently bought a bag when I was at Hillcrest Foods in Saratoga Springs, NY (one of the best food distributors for bakers in the country, certainly for flour in the eastern half of the US; they will ship single bags via UPS, too).  If you ask nicely ;-) , I'll bet that Annette might sell you several pounds very reasonably. Meunerie Milanaise appears to have several variations on a theme and I suspect that many are not terribly different. You should be able tell them apart by the protein, ash and falling numbers. Whatever Bonapart is using for their baguettes is bound to be good.

I was back in NY very recently and this time returned with 50 lbs of Meunerie Milanaise T80 type (sifted T55 with bran added back). There was a promo on and it was $27/50lbs! The regular price is probably $35ish or slightly more which is still very reasonable for an organic flour; however, UPS shipping would probably be in the $40-50 range.) Meunerie Milanaise might have a distributor in Baltimore--and if not Meunerie Milanaise, there must be a distributor in Baltimore that will sell you single bags of good flours (including King Arthur).  You are likely thinking "what am I going to do with 50 lbs of flour?" Well, Harvest King in single bag quantities is in the $25/50 lb range. At that price you can use half of it and compost the rest and still come out ahead. I've used it for all kinds of bread and pastries. Maybe there is someone in the Baltimore/DC metro area that will split some with you?

All that said, a blend of King Arthur all-purpose with some added whole wheat to boost the ash should bake well. I'd start with an 80:20 blend and boost the water slightly (2-4%).

maojn's picture
maojn

This is the first time I heard of this flour. So are you saying that you were able to buy this flour in NY? What's your opionion about this flour and KA? I will definitely try that bakery when I am in that area. But before that, like you said, AP with WWF first!  

I have nutrimill and mill flour regularly for bread and cake and cooking. So I have piles of buckets of all kinds of grains from breadbeckers. 

Thanks again for the great info!

PeterS's picture
PeterS

Meunerie Milanaise organic flours have very limited distribution in the US--only through selected food distributors; so, it is not easily obtained. I just suggested it since you were in MD and on the chance that you might be close enough to visit Bonapart Bread in Savage Mills.

varda's picture
varda

Just an image with http://blog.sina.com.cn which doesn't seem to lead to anything breadlike.   Perplexed.

maojn's picture
maojn

Hi Varda,

Thank you so much for letting me know. It was working fine earlier for others and me but somehow it stops working. Looks like I will have to use another more stable hosting site.

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Chineese government blocking the site with its hackers.

maojn's picture
maojn

Thank you for letting me know. I have fixed the photo problem. Please do let me know. :)

maojn's picture
maojn

Hi, I do know china block many sites so its people can't access outside. But I didn't think they also block traffic from outside! :( But anyway, It's fixed. Thanks again.

maojn's picture
maojn

Hi Varda, 

Thank you for letting me know. I have fixed the photo problem. Please do let me know. :)

varda's picture
varda

as I am drooling over your lighter than air baguettes.    And cool set-up too.   Great to have you posting!  -Varda

Alpana's picture
Alpana

Your kitchen as well as breads are excellent. 

maojn's picture
maojn

Thank you. I love to stay in my kitchen. 

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Beautiful breads.  Your crumb on your baguettes is perfect.  Please fo share your formula.

maojn's picture
maojn

The formula of my baguettes were added. Thank you! :)

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

of baguettes.  Are there supposed to be more?

maojn's picture
maojn

Hi, 

This one baguette picture is the good scoring one and yes, that's the best I can do when scoring X

Janetcook's picture
Janetcook

What beautiful breads!

I just re-did part of our kitchen and wish I had seen your sink draining area....I prefer to wash dishes by hand so I always have a dish drainer on my counter but none really have mats that drain well.  Your situation looks like it would have worked perfectly in my kitchen and so much easier to maintain....

Love the kneading board too.  I know how it feels to be so excited when you find something that works well for you and you sure hit the mark with all you had done in your kitchen.

Thanks for the post and the great photographs!
Take Care,

Janet 

maojn's picture
maojn

THere is always something you wish you saw before your kitchen remodeled, isn't it? I for example wish I knew that I will fall in love with baking and had installed a steam oven instead of a regular one! Now I have to manually create steam all the time and worry about breaking the poor oven! 

The sinks are huge and I never have to wash dishes before I wash dishes again, if you know what I mean. XD

maojn's picture
maojn

Hi Janet,

You are welcome to visit my new kitchen here http://www.wretch.cc/blog/maojn7488/21582283

Have a good day!

BobS's picture
BobS

And great sinks. Could you tell us where you got the sinks?

Thanks.

b

 

Oops, I see that you did. Thanks :)

maojn's picture
maojn

The double bowl sink is actually a bit different from mine in that the bowls of my sink are idential in size but the one in the link is different. The sinks are so good. They are so deep and wide. Never water splashes everywhere! In my blog link: http://www.wretch.cc/blog/maojn7488/21582283
you can see my kitchen setup. And both sinks.  

hanseata's picture
hanseata

is the one thing I worked hard to have everywhere I moved to, being almost my livingroom. With that sink, you would even be good for a homeprocessor's license in Maine.

Did you try the Pain a l'Ancienne from BBA, yet?

Karin

'

maojn's picture
maojn

Hi Karen,

Thank you for your comment.

I didn't know these kind of sinks involve license! Thanks for letting me know!

I haven't tried Pain a l'Ancienne yet. Do you have good pictures for what it supposes to look like so that I can set my goal?

Jean

maojn's picture
maojn

Hi,

This is the first time I heard of this flour. So are you saying that you were able to buy this flour in NY? What's your opionion about this flour and KA? I will definitely try that bakery when I am in that area. But before that, like you said, AP with WWF first!  

I have nutrimill and mill flour regularly for bread and cake and cooking. So I have piles of buckets of all kinds of grains from breadbeckers. 

Thanks again for the great info!