Tartine Baguettes and English Muffins? - Tartine Bread
It’s golden week in Japan which means we have a few national holidays in a row, which also means time to cook and bake. I knew that I wanted to make some crispy pork belly and turn it into a Perfect Bhan Mi Sandwich.
One of the most important parts of this is a good baguette. I’ve tried different recipes but having a super small oven makes it hard to make a real baguette. Instead I can make some mini baguettes and when I want a real one I go to a professional bakery.
This recipe uses all purpose flour in combination with bread flour. Instead of the AP flour I used Spelt instead as it is the closest thing that I stock in my baking pantry to AP flour.
I’m terrible at shaping baguettes and end up degassing the dough a bit too much and have a tight crumb but that’s fine in this case. Once all the toppings are added the baguette from Tartine has a nice crisp crust and good chew. Exactly what I was hoping for.
What surprised me even more was the fact that this dough is also used for English Muffins? What? How? Well, when it comes time to shape the baguettes for a final rise, you can refrigerate the rest of the dough overnight on a flat tray and use it for English Muffins the next day. A two for the price of one recipe….LET’S GO!
The next morning I didn’t bother to cut the dough into rounds but decided to cut it into rectangles and cook it that way in the pan. It’s super important to hit the dough and the tray with rice flour to prevent it from sticking as this dough becomes quite sticky overnight. I thought I flattened it too much, but even though it was really flat and the dough was extensible it still puffed up in the pan. Super happy with the results and flavor.
Tasting Notes:
Baguette - Crisp crust and good chew on the interior.
English Muffins - exactly what I was hoping for. Great flavor that works for breakfast or if toasted would also be good for a sandwich.
Time/Effort: 2 - 3 days - Two days for baguette, 3 for the English Muffins because of the overnight retard in the fridge.
Would I make it again: Yes. It’s the best baguette I’ve made and the English Muffins are exactly what I hoped for. The fact that I can make a full batch and have both for the same amount of work is a huge bonus. I almost wonder what would happen if instead of making baguettes I decided to toss the dough for the final proof in a pullman pan or even as a boule.
