Some of November's Baking

My Foundation Degree students were making their own breads using pre-ferments a couple of weeks ago.   Both a "Biga" and a "Poolish" were available for their use.   They made some very fine pizzas, and an assortment of flavoured breads.

Once they had weighed all their pre-ferments, I noticed there were some "leftovers".

So, I made the following as demonstrations.   The baguettes, shown below, were actually to help a late arriving student on his way, to enable product completion in the practical time.   The tinned loaves were an experiment to demonstrate how, even at a very high proportion in the final dough, a biga can contribute fantastic improving qualities, resulting in super high crown bread.

It was also a joy to be able to use local organic flour in the final doughs as well.

•1.    Baguettes with a Poolish

Method:

• Mix on first speed in an upright machine for 10 minutes with the hook attachment. DDT 26°C
• Ferment in bulk for 1 hour, covered at 26°C
• Scale and divide for baguettes at 340g; pre-shape and rest 20 minutes, covered
• Shape and prove, en coûche, 50 minutes. Use coarse semolina as needed.
• Use a loader and baguette peel to set the baguettes, and use a grignette to slash the surface beforehand.
• Bake in a deck oven, with steam at 240°C, top heat 7, bottom heat 5 for 15 minutes. Open the damper and bake out a further 5 minutes.
• Cool on wires

•2.    High Crown Tinned Breads with a large proportion of Biga in the final dough

Method:

• Mix the dough on slow speed only in a spiral mixer for 15 minutes. DDT 27°C
• Ferment covered, in bulk for 50 minutes at 27°C
• Scale and divide at 960g for large tins. Pre-shape by moulding round. Rest covered for 10 minutes.
• Shape and place in prepared tins.
• Prove at 35°C, 85% rH for 1 hour.
• Bake in a deck oven with steam at 235°C, top heat6, bottom heat8, for 15 minutes. Drop the temperature to 220°C for 10 minutes. Open the damper and bake out a further 5 -8 minutes.
• Cool on wires

•3.    A Rye Reversal

I was meant to be accompanying Faye to the Warburton's Young Baker of the Year; the National Final in Bolton, tomorrow.   Faye was scheduled to make her Nettle Bread in College this afternoon.   Let's say the weather has played havoc with our plans.   The bread uses a portion of white leaven in the final dough.   Building this leaven was problem number one.   Faye used up what flour she had at home, and I did the same here in Ananda.   But Alison and I have been snowbound for a few days now.   It took me 3 hours to dig the car out this morning.   A helpful neighbour made sure I could move by employing a digger to clear the route out of the Square.   I had 350g Leaven, and hoped Faye had the rest of what she needed.

But it was all to no avail.   I took a phone call just 10 miles down the road.   The Competition had been postponed.   The road conditions were poor and most of the morning had already passed.   I turned back and went home.   Once safely nestled back in our warm abode, I wondered what to do with the leaven I had.   "Good to go", but only Dark Rye flour in stock!   This is what I came up with.   I've used this title as I love the Pain Siègle formula with a Rye Sour used to raise a primarily wheat bread.   This is a wheat leaven used to raise a mainly rye loaf.   Here is the formula and recipe:

Method:

• Break up the leaven in water with temperature 35°C.
• Add and dissolve both the molasses and salt. Then fold in the flour to form a smooth paste; DDT 28°C.
• Drop the paste into a Pullman Pan lined with silicone paper.
• Prove for 4 hours at 32°C, lid fitted loosely.
• Bake from cold in an oven with a water bowl for steam. Heat to 175°C and bake for 1½ hours. Take the lid off the pan, drop the heat to 160°C and bake a further half hour. Probe the core to record a temperature of at least 96°C.
• Cool on wires

Happy Baking!

Andy