Still with the Raisin Pecan WW Levains, I see...
Why yes, I am. But this time, I had to tear myself away from my standard Baguette Crusade. My wife wanted me to try making a batard out of the same dough so that she could slice pieces large enough to ensure that the bread would serve as more than just a bite-sized snack. And I had just enough left over for a skinny cross-hatched baguette.
The batard shaping was suspiciously simple, considering that I haven't shaped one since, oh, 2007, just prior to my self imposed 6+ year hiatus from baking. Proofed on a couche instead of a banneton, and dusted with raw flour before proofing, for that "rustic" look. The raw flour jazz is something that I rarely do. But in the spirit of trying to reproduce a bread close to my model R-P WW Levain, dust them I did. That model is also baked dark, and I believe that I succeeded at doing so here.
alan
Comments
Alan, these turned out beautifully, love the oven spring, crust and bold color! Will we get a peek at the crumb, too, and hear how your wife approved?
Thanks for sharing!
Cathy
to perform hara kiri quite yet on so fresh a bake. But this is a photo of the interior from the previous batch, which I documented in my prior blog entry. At this point, the slices had just emerged from the toaster and were awaiting a buttering prior to being torn to shreds by my incisors! Poor dears. Oh well, some things must be sacrificed at the altar of the breakfast table so that others may thrive.
Below edit added the next morning:
Well, it was time for the morning daily bread consumption ritual, so after knocking off the skinny baguette last night and this morning, it was time to attack the batard.
The batard is loaded with raisins and pecans, but "not guaranteed in every bite".
And thanks, as always, for the kind words.
Beautiful bake. Love the crust color.
Happy Holidays.
Ian
one! Has to taste great too. The batard shape is more utilitarian when it comes to sandwiches and other than bite sized snacks.
Well done and happy baking Alan
What percentage of raisins are you using in your wonderful loaf? I'm trying to figure out a nice percentage to maintain an open crumb, but still get a decent amount of raisins in.
With a total dough weight of 1000g (500g of flour) at 73% hydration I'm using 60g each of pecans and golden raisins. Which works out to 12% each of baker's percentage.
I can't recall how I settled on 12, but even so, a fair amount of them rise to the surface during the oven spring phase. Most stay embedded in the dough during the bake. This might not be enough for some people's personal tastes. And if you are not using some other additive like nuts, maybe you want to try going higher.
alan