Further Baguette experiments
I tried my hand at baguettes again following (more or less) a traditional recipe.
Dough
500g AP FLour
500g Bread Flour
680g water
3.5g yeast
11g salt
Mixed w/ 4 folds and retarded overnight. The next day I left it out for 3 hours @ room temp then shaped and proofed in couche ~75 min. I then transferred the loaves and put the form into preheated 500F covered steam tray w/ 6 oz water I rotated the tray at 10 minutes, uncovering the loaves 5 minutes later, and baked 'em for another 20. I guess I used too much water for a covered tray. The cuts didn't open up like I expected and the loaves developed a pretzel-like crust. I thought all was lost until I cut them open. My best crumb yet!
A day or so later I tried again in my home oven which is too small for a hotel pan. I used the "old dough" technique with a 25%WWF, 25%APF, 50% BreadFlour and 70% hydration recipe (same salt and yeast ratios as above). This time I shaped the loves after a 4 hour bulk rise and let them proof in the fridge overnight. Sadly they loaves looked awful and deflated the next morning. Sleepily I forged ahead and placed them directly on a 500F stone, splashing a 1/2 C. water on the oven floor. After checking on them 10 minutes later I realized that forgot to cut the loaves! I was forgiven by the bread gods - the crust was thick and nutty, the crumb very open. I gave two to my co-workers. People get all sortsa happy when you hand them a "still warm from the oven" loaf....