Eric Kayser's Baguettes

The other day Pips posted a link to a video of Eric Kayser making his baguettes.  Thank you, Pips.  I very much enjoyed watching the video.

 I have made E.K. baguette monge, tweaking the formula given by our 'french connection' Janedo.  The hydration was changed and, some white whole wheat flour was used and it made some very nice baguettes.  

It was enjoyable seeing him actually make his baguettes...though there was still guessing envolved in the hydration.  I think he just wanted anyone trying the formula to be comfortable with the handling of the baguettes and, so left the hydration up to what you wanted to use.  So, that's what I did.  

Since this was also, 'for me' was about getting a nice long baguette that would just fit into my oven.  I needed 19" and ended up going a few inches beyond that on all but one.  I put them onto my baguette peel and then onto parchment lined, upside down large sheet pan.

Anyway, I enjoyed experimenting with the video's directions and kept myself busy doing a little baking.  I did not write down my measures used.

 My posting have been rather spaced out and a bit hard for me to do.  My dearest Aunt Maureen,  passed away this month.  She lived a wonderful life.  She was 92.

I will miss her visits very much. 

I took these photos and had to resize them and today they also were cooperating in being downloaded to TFL.  Not very good photo's or lighting.

My assembly line.  Now what to do with the 'to long of baguettes for my oven'.

I thought I could cut the very much to long one's into Epi's.  and it did help.  

Some of the epi's were still to long.  I pinched some off and tossed them into a plastic bag into the refrigerator.  I would use the dough for something else.

I did get some baguettes and couple of epi loaves.

I was happy with the crumbs openess..pretty much what I like.  The slashing was poor.

Now the best part.   After the extra dough resting in the frig for a couple of days.   It made a very delicious pizza.  Even as abuseably it was pinched and tossed into the bag.

I made a fresh pesto, used fresh mozza, heirloom tomatoes and, grated fresh pepper and a little sea salt, evoo for toppings.

I love the use of heirloom tomates...they are so beautiful and tasty.

The pizza was baked on pre-heated for one hour stones, in a 550F oven.  For apx. 8 minutes.

The sourdough made a fastastic tasting, crispy thin crust pizza.

Very hotta pizza as Eric Kayser would say :)

A thin crispy slice to go with the pasta marinara.

Sylvia