Very nice FP. They look delicious and so pretty inside and out. I'd give anything for blisters like you get on your bread. No idea how they get there? weavershouse
I assume they are made with a sourdough starter rather than a poolish because you said you use a 100% starter. Right? And, from the blisters, I assume you cold retarded the baguettes before baking. Right?
I can't recall seeing blisters like those except in sourdough breads that were cold retarded. If I'm wrong in my assumptions, I don't know what to tell you. If I'm correct, and you don't want blisters, skip the cold retardation. (And give up some flavor.)
Now, how did you get those holes in the crumb with a 60% hydration dough?
I wish I knew what caused the blisters but it's not cold retardation I'm afraid.
The most recent baguettes used a large percentage of starter but that would not explain why I've had blistering before.
Since I've been working on my steam baking process I've noticed a few changes (including crackling crust at one point! yay!) I'm now spritizing the baguettes before going in the oven as well as the usual cup of boiling water on the oven floor. Again this doesn't explain why I've had blisters before. As you can see the crust is rather thick on the last batch. One of the big problems with 'steaming from the oven floor' is the reduction in temperature as this water vapourises (usually takes at least 10 minutes to come back up to 400-450)
The big holes in the crumb may have something to do with the fairly intense kneading (french folds for 15 minutes or until my arms give up!) and almost certainly gentle handling during shaping.
The shaping is getting better in that I'm more comfortable handling the dough but as always there's plenty of room for improvement :) Similarly the slashing is OK in that I understand what I'm trying to achieve now. The next step is definitely to get a more sturdy lame (the razor-blade-on-a-skewer/starbucks-stirrer has resulted in a couple of cuts on the fingers - ouch!)
Reading your post reminds me that the San Fran bread I did was sprayed before going in the oven and it got blisters. The times I didn't spray it directly, it didn't blister.
@ FP, your crumb is top! but the 'matte' is not in the oven FP. In earlier days I had the same problems.
@david and jane, think you both are right.
the problem is cold dough. but also wet dough. ànd sourdough, because it has a long time to go and will cool down during the last rising when your kitchen is at 21°C. condensation on the outside produces an irregular maillard reaction imho .
better not spraying the dough before. the evaporation withdraws heat from your dough and makes it in the initial phase extra cold.
initial steaming (not spraying) the oven is better. the steam condenses on the cold dough. the condensation-warmth makes the outside of the dough acute 100°. don't steam too much. just 30-40 ml twice on the bottom in the first two minutes.
try a bakingstone to fight the reduction in temperature as the water vapourises.
use a little bit flour (and not oil) during the final shaping. (never seen blisters on a sourdoughloaf after rising in a floured 'banetton', but often after shaping on an oiled surface)
and don't give up FP! it took me 2½ years to make them look like this:
Comments
Very nice FP. They look delicious and so pretty inside and out. I'd give anything for blisters like you get on your bread. No idea how they get there? weavershouse
Hi, FP.
I think your baguettes are very good looking.
I assume they are made with a sourdough starter rather than a poolish because you said you use a 100% starter. Right? And, from the blisters, I assume you cold retarded the baguettes before baking. Right?
I can't recall seeing blisters like those except in sourdough breads that were cold retarded. If I'm wrong in my assumptions, I don't know what to tell you. If I'm correct, and you don't want blisters, skip the cold retardation. (And give up some flavor.)
Now, how did you get those holes in the crumb with a 60% hydration dough?
David
Very nice! I'm about to have breakfast and they would do JUUUUUST fine!
The only time I've ever had blisters is as David says, cold retarded sourdough. Memories the first time I made C&C San Fran sourdough.
Jane
I wish I knew what caused the blisters but it's not cold retardation I'm afraid.
The most recent baguettes used a large percentage of starter but that would not explain why I've had blistering before.
Since I've been working on my steam baking process I've noticed a few changes (including crackling crust at one point! yay!) I'm now spritizing the baguettes before going in the oven as well as the usual cup of boiling water on the oven floor. Again this doesn't explain why I've had blisters before. As you can see the crust is rather thick on the last batch. One of the big problems with 'steaming from the oven floor' is the reduction in temperature as this water vapourises (usually takes at least 10 minutes to come back up to 400-450)
The big holes in the crumb may have something to do with the fairly intense kneading (french folds for 15 minutes or until my arms give up!) and almost certainly gentle handling during shaping.
The shaping is getting better in that I'm more comfortable handling the dough but as always there's plenty of room for improvement :) Similarly the slashing is OK in that I understand what I'm trying to achieve now. The next step is definitely to get a more sturdy lame (the razor-blade-on-a-skewer/starbucks-stirrer has resulted in a couple of cuts on the fingers - ouch!)
Anyway thanks for the comments, cheers for now
FP
Reading your post reminds me that the San Fran bread I did was sprayed before going in the oven and it got blisters. The times I didn't spray it directly, it didn't blister.
Jane
@ FP, your crumb is top! but the 'matte' is not in the oven FP. In earlier days I had the same problems.
@david and jane, think you both are right.
the problem is cold dough. but also wet dough. ànd sourdough, because it has a long time to go and will cool down during the last rising when your kitchen is at 21°C. condensation on the outside produces an irregular maillard reaction imho .
better not spraying the dough before. the evaporation withdraws heat from your dough and makes it in the initial phase extra cold.
initial steaming (not spraying) the oven is better. the steam condenses on the cold dough. the condensation-warmth makes the outside of the dough acute 100°. don't steam too much. just 30-40 ml twice on the bottom in the first two minutes.
try a bakingstone to fight the reduction in temperature as the water vapourises.
use a little bit flour (and not oil) during the final shaping. (never seen blisters on a sourdoughloaf after rising in a floured 'banetton', but often after shaping on an oiled surface)
and don't give up FP! it took me 2½ years to make them look like this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9191909@N07/2638736165/
grtz kees