October 10, 2010 - 6:38pm
Baguettes - 2nd try
Hello, I tried Mr. Hamelman's Baguettes with Poolish (half-recipe) again today. A big thank you to khalid who gave me some very useful comments after my first baguette post, which were a great help this time around. This time the baguettes were easier to score.
I am still hoping for more holes:
Ciril Hitz has a baguette shaping video ( http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/18968/baguette-shaping-ciril-hitz ) (thanks to dmsnyder for posting this!); in this video Mr. Hitz demonstrates, by stretching the dough, what development should be before shaping (my dough wasn't quite that developed)...will try for better gluten development next time & see if this improves the crumb...
Regards, breadsong
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Comments
Your scoring and oven spring is good as evidenced in the photos. Big kudos for that! It's a little hard for me to make out the crumb structure, but my impression is that if you handle the dough a little more gently during the shaping process, you may end up with a crumb that matches your beautiful grignes. Nice bake!
Larry
Your baguettes look very nice.
I would echo Larry's positive comments and his suggestion regarding dough handling. Your gluten may be under-developed, but it does look more like you are de-gassing your dough excessively. Darn good, if those are your 2nd batch of baguettes!
Once you get the feel of the "iron hand in a velvet glove," you will see the difference in your crumb.
David
Thanks Larry and David for your nice words, help and advice!
I will keep working on trying to preserve those precious air bubbles.
Regards, breadsong
You should be proud of those baguettes, Breasong! You are such a quick learner..
I havn't tried Baguette making, due to steaming woes. I'd take your baguettes anytime!
Hi there,
Thanks for writing on my previous baguette post - those were good pointers.
You are so nice to write again!
I am finding the quality of instruction in books I've seen and on this site so helpful...and with video that's available too...wonderful for an inexperienced bread baker like myself.
There is still so much more for my hands to learn! I still very much need to work on proper handling of the dough.
I had my own steaming woe this past weekend - a cracked baking stone - but the two pieces fit back together nicely so I've just carried on!
Regards, breadsong