The Fresh Loaf

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Baguette Video

mcs's picture
mcs

Baguette Video

Hey everyone,This week I had an order for some baguettes and I thought it would be cool to shoot a video while making them so customers (and bakers too of course) could see some of the process.  It's more of a demo rather than an instructional video, but if you pay close enough attention, you can pick up a few tips.  I hope you enjoy it!

-Mark

Baguettes










dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

I always enjoy watching your dough handling, and the baguettes look pretty terrific too!

David

mcs's picture
mcs

Thanks!  Glad you like the video and happy baking to you!

-Mark

Bread Head's picture
Bread Head

I really enjoyed that video!  

Thanks for the close-ups and different angles.........I learned a lot.

mcs's picture
mcs

Glad you enjoyed the video and different angles.  Now you know what it looks like to watch me shaping while your head is resting on my workbench!  :)

-Mark

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Great Video Mark.  Thanks for sharing and taking the time to shoot and edit it.

What hydration level is the dough and are you using a pre-ferment or yeast?

I notice you use a knife to score the dough instead of a curved lame.  Do you find the straight edge works better for the baguettes?

Ian

mcs's picture
mcs

It's 77% hydration and the dough is refrigerated/bulk fermented for 36 hours.  I use instant yeast, very little since it retards for so long. 

I like the way a thin sharp serrated knife cuts through dough.  I don't feel there's a need for a curved lame.

-Mark

LindyD's picture
LindyD

Best shooting angles of any shaping video I've seen, Mark.  Really excellent.  Of course, the baguettes are beautiful as well.

What is the purpose of the complete rotation of the pans after the baguettes have been scored?

Lindy

mcs's picture
mcs

Thanks for the compliments Lindy.

With my convection oven, the fan blows quite strongly from the rear towards the front.  If I'm scoring at an angle, the scoring needs to be facing towards the back so the fan blows the cuts open.  If the cuts are facing the front, the fan will blow them shut. 

As you can see, I score baguettes right handed.  Because of my space, I'm forced to load the oven from the left side, which means I have to spin the pans 180 degrees to position the cuts properly.  If I'm scoring straight up and down, like I do for my boules then I don't rotate the pans.

-Mark

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Love the pans, slashing and crumb. Hope all goes well and 

Happy Baking

mcs's picture
mcs

Thanks dabrownman and Happy Baking to you too!

-Mark

ElPanadero's picture
ElPanadero

Hi Mark

Quick question.  I notice you perform 2 separate preshapes for these whereas my local artisan bakery only does one preshape and that's more akin to your first one.   So we go from the rectangular loaf preshape straight into the final baguette shape.   Have you always done 2 or did this develop for a specific reason?  What benefit do you feel you get from the extra preshape?   Cheers

mcs's picture
mcs

It's just a timing and dough-strength issue.  Because my dough is pretty strong, if I only did one preshape, I would be forced to either let it rest a longer time or deal with a dough that is difficult to get the proper length that I want.  Because my dough is wetter than most baguette dough (77%), as it gets warmer, it becomes very sticky and very difficult to deal with. 

So I choose to do quite a bit of work (the 2 preshapes) when the dough is the coldest - when it's easier to handle.  Then by the time I final shape you can see it's pretty easy to get it the proper length.  Still, I work quickly with minimal contact with my hands to avoid the stickiness.  If I were to degass and seal the dough with the heel of my hand like most do with baguettes, the entire glob of dough would stick to my hand and follow it up off the table as I lift my hand.

I hope that makes sense.

-Mark

Wingnut's picture
Wingnut

Interesting technique, I have always folded towards me. Great looking dough!

Cheers,

Wingnut

mcs's picture
mcs

Just like being left or right handed, whichever technique works for you is the best one!  :)

-Mark

Wingnut's picture
Wingnut

Keep it clean Mark.

Cheers,

Wingnut

Stuart Borken's picture
Stuart Borken

This was artful.

mcs's picture
mcs

Thank you for the compliment Stuart!

-Mark

gerhard's picture
gerhard

Nice video, you are a nice neat worker and use minimum dusting flour which I like.

Gerhard

mcs's picture
mcs

Yes, I like to keep things neat when I'm working and if possible I don't like to add extra flour to my hands, the table, or the dough.

-Mark

Syd's picture
Syd

Thanks for that video Mark.  That's a beautiful open crumb you achieved there.  So you don't use a poolish then?  Just a 36 hour bulk ferment.  That's where all the flavor and that honeycombed structure come from, not to mention the nut brown color.  What percentage of yeast do you use?  I notice you use a single slash as opposed to the more usual three or four smaller slashes.  Is that because your clients want it that way?   Also, you make slashing a 77% hydration dough look easy and I know, from experience, that it is most decidedly not.

Best,

Syd

mcs's picture
mcs

Thanks for the compliments Syd.  Correct, there's no poolish.  The yeast percentage is .07%, i.e. .7g per kilo of flour.  For the first year of The Back Home Bakery, I used the standard scoring approach, then I started making demi-baguettes to accompany the baguettes I sold.  I'd score the demi baguettes straight down the middle and the baguettes with 5 cuts.  When I'd cut them open, the crumb was virtually identical.  Also, with the 5 cuts, the ears on the baguettes often ripped the bags I was packaging them in,  so I switched to scoring the baguettes straight down the middle.  At this point it's faster and I prefer the look.

Yes, the scoring (and handling) of the 77% hydration dough is not quite as easy as it looks.  Many interns have been frustrated while working together but across from me at the workbench-their hands covered in sticky dough while mine are clean.  As a baker gets faster and his/her actions more deliberate and accurate, they realize it's the handling that makes the difference. 

-Mark

mdvpc's picture
mdvpc

Very nice video and techniques!

mcs's picture
mcs

I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed the video!

-Mark

Yippee's picture
Yippee

Mark:

As I watch your hands' fluid movement up and down and across the dough, they remind me of the hands of a master pianist.  You're an artist in creating these beautiful, edible masterpiece of baguettes.   I'm amazed by your skills.  Thank you for sharing, your techniques and approach are always eye-opening.  

Yippee

mcs's picture
mcs

Thanks Yippee!  Maybe those piano lessons I was forced to take as a child have paid off?  :)

-Mark

Mebake's picture
Mebake

Your videos and breads are always an inspiration, Mark. What a neat little bakery you have! You are very efficient at your work too. 

Thank for taking the time to record and upload this. I wish you all the best in black mountain.

 

mcs's picture
mcs

It was a fun video to make and quick too since I didn't add any commentary :)  I'm glad you enjoyed it!

-Mark

Leandro Di Lorenzo's picture
Leandro Di Lorenzo

Hey Mark!!!

Beautiful baguettes!!!! Congrats !!! :)

Can you please tell me which flour brand are you using?

regards,

Leandro Di Lorenzo

 

mcs's picture
mcs

Thanks!  I use Gold Medal Brand "Harvest King" flour.  The flour is winter wheat and grown and milled here in Montana.

-Mark

Leandro Di Lorenzo's picture
Leandro Di Lorenzo

Appreciate it man!!!!!!

So yellow, right? amazing!!!! 

Keep up the good work!!!! :) :D

Regards

Leandro Di Lorenzo