The Fresh Loaf

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10% Whole Kamut Sourdough Baguettes

Benito's picture
Benito

10% Whole Kamut Sourdough Baguettes

Time to get the rust out of my baguette baking.  It has been more than two months since I last made baguettes and since I’d only started to bake them this past summer, I kind of feel that I need to bake them often enough to not forget how to make them.  The shaping is always the big challenge to do well.  The other challenge is trying a new recipe using some flour I’ve never used before for baguettes.  It is hard to know what to expect for dough handling, in this case the dough was more elastic than I am used to and one baguette in particular didn’t want to elongate, that despite the fact that it had the longest rest time after pre-shaping.

This recipe was posted by Martin Philips of King Arthur baking, Dan Ayo of TFL fame posted about it.  I was interested in trying it.  Having use semolina for baguettes in the past the use of whole Kamut caught my eye.  Having made this once now, I would increase the hydration and also perhaps reduce the slap and folds I did at the onset.  One of the reasons I did slap and folds where I don’t usually for baguettes (not wanting to build too strong gluten) is that I made an error with mixing the fermentolyse.  Instead of starting with water and levain and dissolving the levain in the water.  I started with flour, then levain then water etc and I was concerned that I wouldn’t have the levain mixed thoroughly enough for a consistent fermentation.

I also added diastatic malt 1% as is my usual to help with crust browning.  It also speeds up fermentation giving the microbes more sugars more quickly.

 

No IDY was used in this bake, IDY is optional.

 

Fermentolyse - mix 286 g water with all the levain to dissolve the levain then add both flours and diastatic malt.  to combine rest for 40-60 mins

 

Add salt and hold back water 10 g  slap and fold x 200  - set up aliquot jar

 

Bulk Fermentation 75*F

3 hours 15 mins of total bulk 

Do folds every 30 mins doing 3 folds

Could do cold retard at this point for next day baking. (Aliquot jar 20% rise)

 

Divide and pre-shape rest for 15 mins

Use Kamut flour for couche

Shape en couche with final proof of 60-75 minutes   Cold retard shaped baguettes en couche when aliquot jar shows 30% rise for at least 15 minutes for easier scoring. 

Pre-heat oven 500*F after 30 mins add Silvia towel

Transfer to peel on parchment

Score each baguette and transfer to oven bake on steel

Bake with steam pouring 1 cup of boiling water to cast iron skillet dropping temperature to 480*F 

 

The baguettes are baked with steam for 13 mins.  The steam equipment is removed venting the oven of steam.  The oven is left at 480ºF but convection is turned on and the baguettes bake for 10 mins rotating them halfway.  The oven temperature is then dropped to 450ºF and the baguettes rotated again if needed and baked for another 3 mins to achieve a rich colour crust.

Comments

MTloaf's picture
MTloaf

Benny and the baguettes to paraphrase Elton. Glad to see you making baguettes again they do require some due diligence to the craft. I have been meaning to try this soon so thanks for leaving a trail to follow.

This was posted by Martin a couple of days ago Baguette shaping 

Benito's picture
Benito

Thank you Don for your kind words.  

I just saw Martin's video this morning, too late for me but he did show shaping in the original video that Dan posted.  The shaping reminds me of Abel's shaping.  One thing I picked up on from his video this morning that I don't think I've been doing is during the folds of final shaping, folding down to about ⅔ rather than halfway.  I think I have been folding down to ½ rather than ⅔ which is specifically says.  So with that in mind I'm going to have to bake baguettes again soon and see what that does.  And I have said, I have to do something to increase the extensibility of this dough for me.  I think I'll reduce slap and folds although I suspect it may have helped a bit with ears, but more importantly I shall increase the hydration because I think my flour is more thirsty than his.

Benny and the baguettes. ?

alfanso's picture
alfanso

I'm with you on that 500dF jazz.  For a home oven I don't get it - too hot for my bakes here.  As with you, I preheat hotter than I bake at.  Still haven't had Kamut make an entry into my kitchen, but I suppose someday...

Between Martin Philip's and now your bake, it looks to be a pretty simple and uncomplicated procedure.  As I find most baguette bakes are...

Alan

Benito's picture
Benito

I still get a bit stressed during shaping of baguettes especially the longer it has been since I last shaped and also when it is a first time with a new formula.  If these taste good at dinnertime I'll plan to bake them again and see if I can sort out the extensibility issue I had which I think is a combination of too low hydration for my flour(s) and too much gluten development early on.

Crumb shots in a few hours.

JonJ's picture
JonJ

The funny thing is I've got your video of you shaping baguettes bookmarked as a video to look at for shaping baguettes.

Love the colour of the loaves, they're gorgeous.

Benito's picture
Benito

LOL that’s funny, I was probably feeling anxious about doing the video back then, but I was baking baguettes regularly back then so I wasn’t rusty.

Thank you Jon, up to now, neither my partner nor I have liked baguettes with whole grain, this one changes that.  Now, it only has the 10% whole Kamut and a smidge of rye, but still, it has a great flavour and the crust is crisp.  The crust is thicker than it would be if it were made of only my 10% protein AP flour, but it is far from being thick.  Happy with this bake.  I just have to work the rust out by baking baguettes again soonish and fix the extensibility issue.

Benny

Benito's picture
Benito

Pretty happy with the crumb, nice and irregular and open.  Nice sheen to the crumb as well.  Should be good with our leftover fish stew.

mdw's picture
mdw

These look absolutely perfect. I've never tried baguettes but these photos are so enticing. 

Benito's picture
Benito

You should give them a try, it taught me a lot about handling dough that’s for sure as well as fermentation.

Benny

alfanso's picture
alfanso

to Mr. Philip.  Maybe ask him to peek in.  I'm sure that he'd be pleased as could be.

Benito's picture
Benito

Interesting idea, never thought to do anything like that. I’ve contacted him via Instagram.  I don’t suppose he has an account on TFL does he?

Benny

alfanso's picture
alfanso

I dropped a comment on the video with the link here...

Benito's picture
Benito

Never thought to do that either, thanks Alan.

Benito's picture
Benito

He replied on Instagram.   my goodness looks at all those typos geez  ? 

PereJoe's picture
PereJoe

Look perfect from here and seems you’ve not lost the touch?

 

Benito's picture
Benito

Thank you sir, kind of you to say that.

HeiHei29er's picture
HeiHei29er

Very nice bake Benny.  Just an amazing crumb.  I need to search for your baguette video...

Benito's picture
Benito

Thank you very much Troy.  It’s been a while since I’ve added a video to my channel and I’m not sure which baguette video you’re wanting to see but here is the link to my channel https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeBreadMD  Baguettes are a worthwhile challenge, you learn about about dough handling and fermentation while trying to achieve a good baguette that’s for sure.

 

Edited to add https://breadtopia.com/poppyseed-crusted-yorkville-sourdough-baguettes/  all of my baguettes videos are here along with detailed processes.

Benny

headupinclouds's picture
headupinclouds

These look great, and wide enough to make a nice sandwich with.  Is the 10% Kamut noticeable in the flavor?  Does it play a functional role in the dough (like adding spelt to wheat)?

Benito's picture
Benito

I think it enhances the flavour without it taking away from a classic baguette in nature.  The baguette is just a bit more chewy than my usual but certainly not chewy like a high protein flour sourdough with lots of whole grain.  I do like the texture and added crunch of the whole Kamut coating on the crust though, it is a nice feature.

gavinc's picture
gavinc

Fabulous bake Benny, you haven't lost the skills. I haven't used Kamut at all but I love the look and colour you produced. The crumb is perfect.

Cheers,

Gavin.

Benito's picture
Benito

Gavin thank you very much.  I’d bet you’d enjoy the Kamut.  I really like Martin’s idea of using the whole Kamut flour on the outside of the baguettes, it really gives the crust a texture I haven’t had on my baguettes before.  It’s something I’d use again if I were to use another whole grain in a baguette.

Benny

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

I'm surprised Martin didn't offer you a job in Vermont!

Happy baking!

David

Benito's picture
Benito

Thank you David!  Hope you’re well and keeping happy and healthy too.

Benny