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 Submitted by ehanner on April 27, 2007 - 11:38pm T-55 Flour Test
I mixed a batch of sourdough using only my white starter which has been fed with KA AP flour for about 2 years and other AP for another 15 years. The formula I used will follow below.
Mix all ingredients until just wet, let rest 45 minutes. Knead for 10 minutes. I did a French fold for half of that time. Turn flour into oiled bowl and cover. Let ferment for 12 hours at room temp or until doubled. Divide into 3 equal parts and preshape. Rest 10 minutes and final shape into Batards. Place into linen couch to final proof. When risen roll onto parchment paper and bake for 25 min at 450. Use steam as usual. I like this flour but it is only my first experience using this style flour. I noticed that I did get a sheen on the outside of the crust that I haven't seen before on US made flours. The crust is nice and crispy and crumb is flavorful and chewy. This will take some more experimentation but based on what I have seen today I like the flour and will continue to learn how to handle it. Next week I will have time to continue with this project and I will try a direct yeast batard or baguette and report back on the results.
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Today I
received a sample package from Filbert foods of T-55 flour they had created for import. It smelled about the same as my Harvest King and KA AP flour but had a slightly darker color than the King Arthur. I couldn't detect any smell that would distinguish it from the others.
I like the look of those
I like the look of those Eric, the crumb looks great too. Great post.
Thanks
Sourdough-guy
Thanks sourdough-guy. I
Thanks sourdough-guy. I thought the tops looked a little over risen if that's possible, to much oven spring and expansion. The outer crust gets a little more fragmented than I'm used to seeing. Maybe that's normal? Obviously you have experience with this type of flour so please don't be bashful in saying so if you think I might have over worked it. I do need help with this. I was lucky the first time.
By the way, the last thing I did prior to leaving town Saturday was put together a batch of basic bread to sit in the cooler. There is a bag of toasted sun flower seeds itching to get in the mix. Wish me luck.
Eric
these look...
really delicious! I'm ready for breakfast!
Taste delicious too. I don't
Taste delicious too. I don't want to be a total shill for the company but at least in my mind the bread is great and I will order a bag of flour. I'm eating some now and there is a nice after taste that I don't usually get with short ferment dough (12 hr). I'm about to run out of town for my daughters bowling State Tournament so I won't have a chance to experiment further until late Sunday. Have a nice weekend all!
Eric
Beautiful baguettes Eric, I
Beautiful baguettes Eric, I am very impressed, they look very authentic. I have always wanted to try this type of flour. Did you use your no-preheat method for these? I am impressed with the look of the crust, nice job.
Mountaindog, you caught me
Mountaindog, you caught me on the preheat. I figured the more authentic method would be to use a stone and preheat even though I'm personally getting away from that.
Now that I'm looking at the images in a calm environment, they did rise quite a bit. I used a steammaker breadmaker stainless cover and steam for this batch, the next will be yeasted with no cover, just a steamed environment. That will more closely replicate most peoples situation.
Thanks for your words of encouragement.
Eric
Second T-55 test
Today I made the last batch of T-55 flour I received and this time I used Instant yeast instead of sourdough starter. I also didn't use a steam cover and steam generator as I did before. I did preheat the oven and use a steel sheet pan so the tests would be comparable.
One thing that happened is that I over proofed in the couche. This happened because it was warm here in Wisconsin finally and the temp in the kitchen was closer to 75 than 65 as usual.
As you can see the crumb is very nice as it was before and the crust was slightly less crispy but that could be the warmer environment. It's been a long winter so I'm not complaining:0)
Over all I like the flour. There is a sheen in the crumb I haven't seen with any domestic flour that I seem to remember in France. I have seen some of Floyds close up shots show some reflection that looked like a translucent sheen which is the sign of a perfect batch and bake.
I'll leave it to others to make a judgement on value. I'm neurotic enough I might just get some to try to learn the brand. Pound per pound it will be expensive but it's after all still just a few bucks.
Eric
Great work!
Eric, fantastic work! The more people can order, I hope the next shipment I can get in larger amounts and lower the price.
John
HI Eric, I tend to find that
HI Eric, I tend to find that I get the sheen in the crumb when I push the internal temp up a bit more. 97°C
Sourdough-guy
SDG, That's interesting. I
SDG, That's interesting. I did let these run a little longer to get the crust color I wanted. I was looking closely this morning at the tops and there is a glossy reflectance in the areas where I slashed and the dough expanded. I don't recall seeing that before.
Eric
re:sheen
Sourdough-guy,
I'm not sure about this, but it seems to me that I get more sheen when I use a small amount of rye in my dough. Also, I think my sourdough breads have that sheen more than my yeast raised breads. For example, ciabattas I've made from about the same formula, either using a yeasted poolish or an equivalent amount of SD starter, exhibit more sheen in the sourdough version than the poolish version. Wondering what you think.
Bill
Hi Bill, I'm sure you're
Hi Bill, I'm sure you're observations are correct. I rarely use rye and use yeast even less but I do only get the sheen when I make the effort to. Most of the time the minute I think the breads done it comes out and the oven goes off. The bread wtih sheen does tast better but I also find that it can be dryer. I suppose I should increase the hydration to compensate. I'll have to try that.
These are 85% they weren't baked to the higher temps
As you can see this does have a sheen, I think you can tell by the crust that it was baked more.
I hope my images aren't too big.
Sourdough-guy
SD-guy, when you say 85%, you mean hydration?
Sourdough-guy,
In the caption above that first photo, are you saying those were made with a dough that had 85% hydration? Are they done with a one-step SD approach also? And, being a nag here, what type of flour, if you can characterize it roughly? Just wondering, as once again, your bread there looks great.
I am a little doubtful that you can get away from the slightly drier bread by increasing the hydration if you bake it to a higher internal temperature. The reason is that I would think the internal temperature is a function of how much water remains in the bread, so if you put more water in, but then have to bake it more to get to the higher internal temperature, it may not change the resulting dryness all that much. I have to admit that I prefer to have a moister crumb, even though the sheen can be attractive, so I've found myself not liking the result quite as much when I go too much above about 205F.
Bill
Elagins@sbcglobal.net re:
Elagins@sbcglobal.net
re: the sheen. i was baking some ciabatta the other week, using a pump sprayer to mist the oven and happened to hit the side of one loaf with a fairly coarse spray. this was about 3 minutes into the bake, using a stone and pre-heat to 550. lo and behold, when i took the loaves out, the part that had gotten the shot of spray had about as nice a sheen as i've seen anywhere. the timing and temperature balance must have been just right to get the starch gelatinization. i haven't tried replicating it, though, since i'm concerned that too much enthusiasm in spraying might earn me nothing more than a cracked stone.
has anyone else wet their breads early in the bake?
btw, gorgeous loaves. i'm jealous.
SG