There is a very good description in the book by Richard Bertinet called "Dough", the book is sold with a video which also describes his special kneading technique. Great book, best recommendations.
Shape your dough like a baguette and let it rest. Right before it goes in the oven, take some sharp kitchen scissors and cut into the dough, about 2 or 3 inches from the end, at a 45 degree angle, stopping about a quarter inch from the bottom. Lay the piece at a 45 to 60 degree angle to the side. Make another cut about 2 or 3 inches from the first and lay it to the other side. Work down the dough, alternating sides, then pop it in the oven.
I rested and cut mine on a well-floured upside-down baking sheet as it was too long for my peel.
qahtan, did you use scissors, that will help develop a better point to each wheat node, they will look less like buns. You could try a slightly less hydrated bread if necessary to hold shape a little better. Have the scissors at an angle more parallel to the table (45 degrees or even a few degrees less). Turn each one to the opposite side as you go. Start at the "bottom" of the sheaf and work your way to the tip.
Make them look "threadier" than you think they need to be, pull the wheat units outward quite a bit, to accommodate for the final rise and oven spring which will fill them back in to an extent.
You can do it qahtan, people love them so it's worth it. They look so beautiful in a bread basket and I like that they're evocative of wheat.
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Formning an Epi
There is a very good description in the book by Richard Bertinet called "Dough", the book is sold with a video which also describes his special kneading technique. Great book, best recommendations.
Use sharp scissors
Shape your dough like a baguette and let it rest. Right before it goes in the oven, take some sharp kitchen scissors and cut into the dough, about 2 or 3 inches from the end, at a 45 degree angle, stopping about a quarter inch from the bottom. Lay the piece at a 45 to 60 degree angle to the side. Make another cut about 2 or 3 inches from the first and lay it to the other side. Work down the dough, alternating sides, then pop it in the oven.
I rested and cut mine on a well-floured upside-down baking sheet as it was too long for my peel.
Here's a page that shows a similar method:
http://blog.kitchenmage.com/2007/11/bread-101-how-t.html
Epi bread information
Thank you for the information.
The Kitchen Mage - step by step tutorial
step by step tutorial. Here's the link...
http://blog.kitchenmage.com/2007/11/bread-101-how-t.html
Trish
Thank you for the tutorial!
Now I must try it. :)
next baking day, it's going to be a epi loaf.
Once in a Blue Muse: http://www.ljcbluemuse.blogspot.com
Epi bread information
Thank you for the information.
Epi
I never had much luck cutting these. ;-((( qahtan
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y58/qahtan/bake/epi.jpg
qahtan, you can do it!
qahtan, did you use scissors, that will help develop a better point to each wheat node, they will look less like buns. You could try a slightly less hydrated bread if necessary to hold shape a little better. Have the scissors at an angle more parallel to the table (45 degrees or even a few degrees less). Turn each one to the opposite side as you go. Start at the "bottom" of the sheaf and work your way to the tip.
Make them look "threadier" than you think they need to be, pull the wheat units outward quite a bit, to accommodate for the final rise and oven spring which will fill them back in to an extent.
You can do it qahtan, people love them so it's worth it. They look so beautiful in a bread basket and I like that they're evocative of wheat.