[Initial Post 4th of feb 2012] Trying to make French bread for 3 weekends in a row now…Objective : Make a French Baguette / Crunchy / Medium sized holes like this.
So Far :
Made 4 Baguettes, mostly nice, last one is crunchy and has small holes, taste is good.
Current Method :
Latest method involves leaving the dough rise overnight in the fridge, this is the best way so far. See this picture below.
300g – Plain White Very Strong Flour
A bowl of warm water (60% to 70% of Flour weight ) with 2 Table Spoons of Active Dry Yeast + 1 Tea Spoon of Sugar
+ salt as you like. (add the salt last to avoid killing the yeast). Also, found out that the room temperature+water temperature+water temperature should add-up to 54 degrees celsius…not sure if this is really needed…came from a Lyon bread maker.
Knead with Kenwood Mixer – 6 Minutes until elastic ball.
Let Rest in Mixer for 2 minutes
Knead with Mixer for an
other 4 minutes.
“Put in a bowl and Cover with Cling Film, put in fridge overnight”.
Knead again, for a few minutes using this method.Bread Making
Let Rise for an other hour with a cloth on top. (back in Oven- 30 Celsius)
Heat-up another oven to 250 Celsius, throw a small quantity of water in oven to create steam (approx a quart of a glass).
Wet bread with water using a small silicone brush, put bread in oven for 15 minutes at 250, then reduce to 180 until it is cooked. (testing with knife)
When ready, take out and let rest of wire-rack. (So that it goes crunchy)
Enjoy with Butter…
