Baguettes with Poolish from Hamelman's "Bread"
Well, so here pictures of my first bake as part of the "Bread" challenge. I will have to remember to take pictures of the process in the future, and in the meantime I am apologizing that there are none this time around.
I followed the recipe pretty much as written-the only difference is that I used one tenth of the metric bulk column..so probably a bit larger dough yield. I maybe should have formed 5 baguettes instead of four.The baguettes' final proof was done in a flowered couche made from pastry cloth-then I inverted them onto a baking sheet-which made them have quite a bit of flour on their top sides. I don't know if that was the right way to do it-I had major trouble with getting them to brown, but that could also be due to the fact that I forgot to pre-heat the oven with my steam pan inside and then only added boiling water to a steam pan upon putting the bread in the oven.Scoring the charmers was a joke...........if I feel like I have ample time on my hands(and friends who want Baguettes) I will try Baguette baking again soon, since I was not too happy with the bake. They stayed very light colored, which made me not realize that they were getting way too dark on the bottom.Oh well, live and learn!The taste and texture of the bread was great,though. Very crunchy crust and really lovely,light crumb.
Here are pictures-my camera is also being highly uncooperative and it was nearly impossible to get a well-lit crumb shot close up.
Comments
Pretty nice for the first try, especially as they were baked without the benefit of a preheated oven. Don't you just hate it when you forget something like that? I know I sure do.
I made that recipe last week but used a good part of the dough to make rolls. As a result of my inattentiveness, I left a bottom cupboard door open on my island and managed to walk into it, tearing it off and splintering the wood.
At that point, I didn't want to deal with baguettes so used the rest of the dough for a boule.
Try focused shots from farther away, then zooming in on the picture to enlarge and crop with the computer. Many times if you press the "button" half way down, the camera refocuses. Give it time. Hold that shot a second before pressing all the way down to record the shot. Take plenty of pictures, throwing away the extras doesn't cost a thing. Try to use natural light if you can. Zooming in with the camera for a detailed crumb shot makes it very hard to stay steady without a tripod, there is just too much movement to focus well.
If you have to flash, back up for the pictures, about a meter away. If you have close up settings or portrait settings, use them. Turn on every light in the area.
Your baguettes look better than my first ones. In fact, you got one up on me. I have to work on mine, I'm so rusty. I'm so rusty I leave orange fingerprints!
Mini
Hi,
For a first effort your baguettes look really good.
I too had trouble getting a nice brown crust. My baguettes and ciabattas were always coming out of the oven with a nice tasting textured white crust till I remembered what my old mum use to do with her scones. She would get a little milk and brush the dough with it using a pastry brush prior to cooking. It helped to brown up her scones. I applied the same method to our home bread and now I get beautiful colored brown crust.
I know it might go against the French rules for baguette baking but it solved my problem of a white pale crust. Also I don't steam cook my baguettes. There is generally enough moisture from the coating of milk when using a hot oven as it gets trapped under the dough on the baguette baking tray. I still have not mastered slashing as yet but I slash my dough after I brush it with milk. When the cooking has finished you see a brown crust with a small risen white stripes across the baguette. I wish I had the means to post a photo. If you have seen some photos of slashed loaves with a two tone top you will know what I mean.
Just some ideas to build upon...........Cheers.............Pete.
Baguettes are hard! But your crumb looks nice and open. Remember, you can always retard your baguettes before they reach full proof in the fridge, which will buy time, allowing your oven to preheat fully, and also making scoring a lot easier.
Good luck!
Larry
Thanks to all of you for your feedback. I should have edited my post above so that it is clearer-I woke up in a funk yesterday and my phrasing was confusing. I DID preheat the oven, but usually put a pan with boiling water in it, while pre-heating and then on top of that, add boiling water to another hot pan when putting the bread in the oven(gee, Mini-what's the word for "einschieben" in English?).
MINI-I will try that picture taking tip. I think,as you noticed, one of the problems was that I took pictures in the evening. Usually do it during the day and it is way easier.
Pete-thanks for that hint.When I made Ciabatta I had no trouble getting it to brown, but there was way more humidity/steam in the oven,too. I will try the baguette thing one more time (I am just more of a whole grain/rye person...white flour products don't get eaten as quickly as they should around here)
Wally- thanks for your kind words. Next time I will try to actually use a razor blade to score it.....but I understand scoring baguettes is yet another part to the art of making them-as if shaping and making the dough wasn't hard enough ;p just joking , no real complaints here!
Thanks again! I am currently working on the 90% Rye-something I feel a bit more comfortable with.We shall see if it turns out well.......
Christina