proth5's Sourdough Baguettes/SylviaH's Spa Treatment
I planned to try proth5's sourdough baguettes this weekend, per Brother David's recommendation. And that turned out to be an especially good idea. It's rainy. My wife and I both have colds (or maybe we each have half of the same cold). Perfect time for chowder. And we have several pounds of Alaska Halibut in the freezer, caught by our neighbor. And chowder just needs to be accompanied by baguette.
My previous attempt at baguette was with the Anis Bouabsa formula. It was a very trying experience for a near-novice working with that high-hydration dough (though the results were really good). My wife wanted something a bit sourer, and I wanted to believe that Pat's 65% hydration formula would also make a superb baguette. Now I believe.
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I followed proth5's formula, as reported in David's blog (http://tfl.thefreshloaf.com/node/10852/baguette-crumb-65-hydration-dough), using KAAP flour. I wanted to make three 9 oz baguettes (about 14 inches in length), so I increased the formula by 30%. And I used Sylvia's magic-steam-towel technique (http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/20162/oven-steaming-my-new-favorite-way) for pre-steaming and supplemented it with the usual lava rocks in cast iron pan.
The dough was much easier to work with than the Bouabsa dough. And the result is just the crispy-crusted-creamy-crumb-slightly-sour baguette I was going for. I think I'm becoming a better baguetter. The hot towels were also helpful in clearing my sinuses.
The chowder was exceptional, too. A variation on my favorite clam chowder (Taddich Grill recipe), but with meaty chunks of Halibut.
Hasn't cured the common cold, but I'd feel worse if I didn't have such good soup and bread.
Thanks, Pat, and David, and Sylvia.
Glenn
Comments
And I can attest to the wonderfulness of your halibut chowder ... but it's been a long 10 months since I had it last.
Your shaping is remarkable for your developmental age, and the crumb looks excellent. The scoring is admirably consistent. You need to make your cuts just a bit closer to the long axis of the loaf, and they will be even closer to the platonic ideal. (Pierre Plato was the boulanger who originated what we now regard as the "standard" baguette scoring pattern. He is also credited with originating the lame joke.)
David
Thanks, David. I'm pretty pleased with this batch for appearance, taste and texture. I think I'll try a slightly lower baking temperature to avoid the singed ear-tops.
I'm not sure about Pierre Play-dough? But I made the cuts pretty much as the instructional videos (aka "slasher movies") showed. I'll have to try again.
Glenn
David
Thanks, David. I've seen this illustration before, and thought I'd followed it. Cyril Hitz has a nice demonstration on one of his videos, too. I guess it's Hitz or miss.
Glenn
The "bridges" between the grignes are a bit wide. Your cuts need to be a little less angled (with reference to the long axis), and the distance between the cuts where they overlap should be 1/4 to 1/2 inch apart - no more.
David
I wish I can score the baguettes as good as you.
I've been having bad hay fever since Friday too. Got up with a bad stuffy nose Saturday morning but once I got my oven running and made the bread. My hay fever's gone. Bread making does cure my hay fever:)
Hope you'll get over the cold soon too.
Sue
http://youcandoitathome.blogspot.com/
Thanks, Sue. From what I've read, good scoring (i.e., open cuts with nice grigne) is a lot more than just good technique with lame or knife. It helps a lot to:
If you get each of those factors at 90% of the ideal, then your actual cutting technique only has to be fair to middling to get nice open cuts (this is my expert opinion based on two months of weekly baking experience).
The actual cutting technique takes practice, and I'm just learning. There are some good videos.
Good luck.
Glenn
I've been working in a commerical bakery for over a year now and making home breads for longer, but your skills have surpassed me by far Glenn. This isn't saying I was ever a grand baker to begin with, just your developmental skills are so much fun to watch! You're progressing to be one of the best : )_ Great work once again!
Must be the Snyder family gene to make spectacular bread!
Thanks, Arlo. That's a really nice thing to say. I'm not sure my skills are all that developed. I have good tools and ingredients. I follow instructions (mostly). I take nice pictures.
As to genetics, I think the only relevant trait that's inate is the capacity to observe and learn from experience (i.e., pay attention and try again).
Glenn
Great looking baguettes!
I wonder if such natural talent is genetic. After all, there's been news reports of the discovery of a "liberal" gene, so why not a bread baker gene? Just think of the oportunities for gene splicing! ;-)
Hope you both get over your colds quickly.
Glenn
I'm on a posting and photos hiatus as I "change everything" from my formulas, mixing method, oven...and get back to milling after my sojourn in Okinawa. During the long break from baking I backslid on a few hand skills (the scoring is the first to go...although I am currently being pulled in a lot of directions so my "mental mise en place" isn't the best these days) but I'm almost back in shape.
I like seeing examples that show wetter isn't always better....
Thanks.
Pat
Thanks, Pat. Your (former?) formula worked well in my kitchen, with my hands. I'll be using it again.
Glenn
a reliable little formula, but we grow or die. After all I've learned and all I've thought about recently, I decided it was time to change stuff.
Although sometimes that involves the bear "getting me."
Happy Baking!
Glenn I'm starting to think there may be something to this 'bakers gene' theory. But I think what it really comes down to is that both you and David love to bake and that you set high standards for yourselves. Your baguettes look excellent, classic crust and crumb, with great molding on all three. Very nicely done!
Re: Tadditch Grill - Both times I've tried to get in there for lunch there was a huge lineup. It's been quite a number of years since I was last in San Francisco and was wondering if it's still as busy for lunch these days.
Regards,
Franko
Thanks for the comments on the bread.
Taddich is always crowded at lunch time. It's best to go earlier in the week at around 11:30 a.m. It's worth it. Great seafood!
Glenn
Your baguettes look beautiful and sooo delicious, the crumb is wonderful! What a talent! Who could ask for anything more to be enjoyed with a wonderful chowder... ;) You always give me a smile, reading your posts! Hope you and the Mrs. are feeling better, soon!
Sylvia
We made enough chowder to take some back to SF and leave some (along with most of a baguette) for my sister who'll be borrowing our coast house starting today.
This evening I won't be doing any baking, but I plan to nuke some wet towels for the water vapor in the achy sinuses. Your great steam towel idea is truly multi-purpose. Thanks.
Glenn
Your baguettes look beautiful, too! I agree with Sylvia! Great looking crumb!!!
Take care,,,
Akiko
That's an impressive open crumb you managed to achieve - and you did so with a mere 65% hydration dough. A lot of folks will go to extreme lengths of hydration in the mistaken belief that it will yield a more open crumb structure.
As your bake well demonstrates, proper handling of the dough contributes more to the openness of the crumb than simply upping the hydration levels.
David's instructions will get you where you want to be with scoring, but your crumb indicates a good hand at work in shaping the baguette.
Larry
I'm thinking that the open crumb results in part from good dough handling, but also from proper fermentation (a really healthy starter, given the right amount of time and the right temperature).
Some time soon I'm going to try proth5's formula for a bigger loaf. Just to see what happens.
Glenn
Thank you, Glenn for sharing the tips about scoring.
I'm doing okay with scoring the one-straight-line in batard but I'm really struggling with the diagonal scoring (the ones with baguettes and batards). I just don't seem to have it right:(
Sue
http://youcandoitathome.blogspot.com/
...the bread gene along with David. About all I could do when sick is make a pile of kleenex! Bet the prospects of the Giant's winning the series made you feel better along with your chowder & bread.
Really nice.
Cheers,
Toni