February 9, 2015 - 5:21pm
Hi, My Name's Gabe, and I'm a Baguette Addict.
I apologize, these posts must be getting pretty boring, but if I can't document my baguette obsession here, I don't know where else to turn. :)
Today's are 40% w/w straight same-day dough (my starter is being a bit ornery).
I think shaping and scoring is better than yesterday's batch, the one on the left I'm almost happy with. Ears! Crumb is obviously not as good looking, but I assume that's the wholewheat flour. Crust was better than usual because I followed advice (found on TFL, I think) to leave the loaves to cool in the oven with the door open for a while after baking. Worked great. They taste good!
Cheers, happy baking!
-Gabe
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Nice job! Your crumb looks spot on and crust not too shabby either :). Have you tried TxFarmer's 36 hour baguettes yet?
Thanks isand!
TXfarmer's recipe is next on my list, but the starter I started a week ago (just wild yeast) is not at all vigorous. The first few days it was crazy active, more than doubling and very bubbly, which I'm sure was gas-producing Leuconostoc bacteria. I think I'm going to start again using the pineapple method, and if that fails break down and mail order a starter from Breadtopia (unless others have another recommended source). I reaaaally want to try that recipe.
when it comes to shaping and scoring! You will get smaller holes, if you aren't txfarmer, with 405% WW and the crust will be a bit thicker too bit it will taste better::-)
Don't give upon your starter. The normal thing is for it to be vigorous for all the wrong reasons the first 4 days or so them day 5-6-7 it will look dead as can be. Just keep it warm, 82 F, stir it every 12 hours and don't feed it too often since it isn't eating too much being as weak as it is . It just needs to build up its strength over the next week or so..
Well done and happy baking
First of all, thanks as always for the encouraging nice words, dabrownman, I can feel the shaping and scoring coming together slowly.
I cut into the second one today and the crumb is a bit more open, though less consistent, I must have been a bit too firm with the seam. Gave the third one to a neighbor so unsure how that one looks :)
Thanks very much for the great advice regarding the starter - the good news is, right after I threatened to chuck it and start again, I had a look this morning and we seem to have some action! I think I scared it! Looking forward to starting some SD bakes. I haven't been stirring, but will do now, and have been feeding every 24hrs using FWSY recipe (but 1/4 of his amounts).
Your baguettes look really great!
A few questions:
Just getting started with baguettes, so that's much appreciated!
Gas oven, cheap, but wide and holds accurate temperature.
I put one large and one small cast iron pan on the floor of the oven while heating the stone (45-60 mins). Put a big hunk of ice in the little one while flipping the proofed loaves off the couche and onto the "peel" (parchment on the biggest baking sheet I have). Not sure if this does anything really but Hamemlan says it "moistens" the oven, and who am I to argue?
As quickly as possible, and now wearing long sleeves and heatproof gloves since the first time I did it and got a nasty steam burn! ;), load the dough onto the stone, pour about 1.5 cups of boiling water into the big pan, slam the door. I find it much easier/faster/safer to transfer the water from a kettle into a pyrex measuring jug and from there into the pan. Been thinking about getting some lava rocks but I think I'm getting enough without. The steam blast does often put the oven flame out for a few seconds until the electric lighter relights it!
I usually do 500g flour with 72% hydration for all-white bread, and 80% hydration if making 40% wholewheat blend (proportions from FWSY), I divide into 3, so each ball is 290 or 300g depending on mix. Usually end up a few grams off, of course :)
Sorry for the essay!
Congratulazioni per l'eccellente risultato. Bellissima fioritura dei tagli, colore e spessore della crosta impeccabile, alveolatura non esasperata e semplicemente straordinaria.
Mi inchino davanti a tanta bravura.
Felice panificazione.
Dalla Toscana con stima.
Anna
Not speaking Italian, I computer translated as:
"What wonder!
Congratulations for the excellent result. Beautifulst closing of the cuts, color and thickness of the impeccable crust, alveolatura not exasperated and simply extraordinary."
I get the gist, so thanks!!! ;-)
Please can you share the recipe? These look amazing!! Would appreciate a recipe for white as well...
Happy to! The recipe is based on my current most-referenced book Flour Water Salt Yeast by Ken Forkish (recommended highly if you don't have it). For the white version, I just divide a half-scaled recipe of "Saturday White Loaf (if you don't have the book, the recipe can be found here, divide into three portions after bulk fermentation, then preshape, rest 15-20 mins, shape into baguettes, proof on a couche roughly 30-40 mins (finger poke test), then get them onto a 500 degree baking stone, make steam with preheated cast iron pan in bottom of oven.
Preshaping/shaping techniques I am still working on, but got the best info from King Arthur Flour videos on YouTube (Hamelman).
Wholewheat version is modified from the 40% overnight version in FWSY. Basically same thing except 300g white, 200g w/w and 400g water.
Let me know if you try it!