Baguette 2019

[More updates…April 19]

Feb. 2019 : I m back at it!

Trying to make a real French baguette….been trying this since 2012….check my initial effort.

Best one so far ….

It is all in the Flour, need to buy T55 flour and it all becomes a lot closer to true French Baguettes…all made in the UK.

Ingredients :

500g Flour…T55 Flour…here
10g fresh yeast
10g salt
300ml of warm water (I think it is possible to experiment with water content. [update : I have noticed that the water quantity required changes with weather and temperature etc…I now add water until I get a nice smooth dough])

How to Make :

Prepare the day before a mix of 150ml of warm water, the yeast, and 100g of the flour. once you have mixed it all, cover with cling film and put in the fridge overnight.[update : I have experimented with sourdough starter approach with multiple days of feeding looks promising] Also check this : Here

Next day, bring all ingredients out of the fridge and let everything rest at room temperature for a while so that Water+Flour+Levain is all around 20 to 25 degres celsius. Put all the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl with hook mixing attachment. Put on slow speed for 10 minutes [update : sometimes is require 15 minutes to get to right consistency]

Need to get to a smooth ball of dough. Keep needing if not smooth.

Put in oven to raise for 30 minutes.

Cut the dough in 3 equal pieces and shape all 3 parts in baguettes. The following method is important. Extend the dough between your hands, then fold each side back on the middle on top of each other.

Then do the same but length wise, folding half of the baguette on itself.

You can optionally do this (length wise fold) a second time with a 15 minutes rest time between the previous step.

Then roll with your hands to provide the long shaped baguette.

The dough will rise again and get puff up some more. [update : I do not let the bread rise on a cloth anymore, I put baguettes directly on the “form” and let rise on it]

Put the 3 baguettes on a “form shape” so it can rise again in a humid environment. I put in my steam oven which has a proving option. But simply putting in a closed oven with a bowl of steaming water is fine. You can also use a cloth to keep the shape of the baguette.

Let the dough rise for 60 to 90 minutes.

[update : once bread has had its second rise, cover gently with flour, then make a few deep cuts with “grignette” or sharp blade, this is important for the look but also for the crunch of crumb] If you want the “traditional look” , make 3 cuts in a S shape on top of the baguettes just before putting them in the oven. About 1.5cm deep. (I did not on this occasion)

Warm the oven to 230 degres celsius, with a tray in the bottom of the oven.

Once oven is nice and warm put the baguettes in the oven and throw a glass of water in the tray to create steam. This will provide the crispy outside of the baguettes. Cook until you have your desired colour of baguettes. Between 20 and 30 minutes.

Let bread rest of tray to allow for cooling down and a nice crispy outside to form.