Thinking about baguettes
Lately I find myself making a lot of baguettes. I definitely have an ideal for this simple, hard bread, which involves the pure taste of fermented refined wheat sheathed in crunchy goodness, but how often my efforts fall short. Lately, maybe because of practice, practice and more practice I feel like the corner has been turned, and more often than not, what I get appears to deliver what I'm looking for. I say appears, because usually I don't cut into, let alone taste the results of my labors. Today I got a taste simply because knobbly ends are fragile and I broke a few before I could sell them.
Speaking of knobbly ends --
recently a fellow fresh loafer (she can identify herself if she wants) taught me to make them. I fell in love instantly. All my baguettes must have knobbly ends. The ones above are pretty restrained -- they can get a lot more knobbly than this. But as I said, fragile. As I was unloading this morning (maybe my brain was fogged so early in the morning) one of my baguettes fell on its end, and bang - that was the end of the end. Then a couple more tossed around too much, lost their knobs (is there a French word for this?) Must treat more carefully - as if made of china.
I switched to knobs from points a few weeks ago. The store manager where I deliver many of these said her customers were asking why. I said, just because they're cool, but then thought I should have had a more sophisticated and learned historical answer. Any ideas?
Method, Formula, Notes
| Distribute yeast in water, then mix all until strong |
| S&F twice 20 minutes apart in mixer (10 seconds) |
| Bulk retard after 20 more minutes, 8-18 hours |
| Cut and preshape by scrolling into cigar shape |
| Rest around 20 minutes |
| Shape by gently pushing into long rope without folding or pressing seam - when long enough roll ends fiercely until knobbly |
| Proof in trays - seam down - around 20 minutes |
| Bake 500F 6 minutes with steam, 18 min 450F |
| KAAP | 171 | 2052 | 6669 | |
| Water | 125 | 1500 | 4875 | 73% |
| Salt | 3.5 | 42 | 136.5 | 2.0% |
| Fresh yeast | 0.9 | 10.8 | 35.1 | 0.53% |
| 300 | 3605 | 11716 |
A few notes:
-Credit Mark Sinclair for the S&F in mixer approach.
- I started using fresh yeast a few months ago, and I definitely can see a difference - as you can see amount is tiny.
- I upped the salt to 2% because it seems to help survive the long night in the cold.
- I dropped hydration from around 80% a year ago to 73% now. Much happier with the results.
- The high initial temperature is due to using baguette trays - you put all that metal in the oven and temperature drops pretty quickly. It is actually a lot colder than that during the steam period but that's what I have the oven set to.
- a 300g baguette rolls out nicely to around 18 inches. I also make a 24 inch baguette using 450g of dough.
Comments
Love those knobby loaves, Varda.
Coincidentally, this morning I took a 'Baguette Intensive' course from Ciril Hitz down in Rehoboth. Great fun.
Hi Bob. Do you have any pictures from your class? Rehoboth isn't that far, and I've often thought I should take a class there. How was it? What did you learn? Thanks for commenting. -Varda
I don't make a lot of baguettes, so my technique is a little hit-or-miss. So I was looking for some practice and criticism/help. I got both, and am very happy with the experience.
The BreadHitz facility is a couple of outbuildings behind Ciril's house. One contains a small kitchen/teaching/prep area; the other has a fairly substantial wood-fired oven.
There were eight people in the class; given the size of the space I don't think classes could be much larger than that. Three of the eight students had cottage baking businesses and were there to up their baguette game; another was planning to open a baking business; the rest were amateurs like me.
Basically we just made baguettes all morning. Ciril had some doughs in various stages of development, including one he mixed after our arrival. Ciril talked, but did not really 'lecture'. Usually he was describing what he was doing at the time. Most of the morning was demo followed by a lot of practice. He is very clear, and because the class is small, we got a lot of immediate feedback on what we were doing right or wrong.
He gave a lot of spontaneous advice to the pro and would-be pro bakers on equipment, workflow/logistics and how not to go broke in the bakery business.
At the end of the class we got some butter and cheese and tried out the baguettes we made. While we did that Ciril pointed out defects in the bread, explained how they came about, and how to correct them.
I didn't take a lot of pictures; here are a few.
That photo up there is just crust heaven! love how the baguettes turned out, Varda! The aroma must be out of this world. Good job.
Khalid
Hi Khalid, This is the first time in quite awhile I've cut into a baguette, as usually I'm just struggling to make enough. Very popular bread. I was pleasantly surprised by what I found in the inside. I have so much baking that I can rarely even sort out the aromas which tend to get dominated by things like cardamom and coriander. Thanks so much. -Varda
Varda, these are really beautiful! I don't know that there is a specific name for this knobbly end shape in France, but there are laws (a 1993 law in particular) about the shape, size, ingredients and manufacture of breads in France and to sell a "baguette" you have to meet the specs or call it something else. There's a difference between a baguette tradition and a baguette industrielle for example. I've seen names like a craquante (smaller than a baguette, super crackly) or a pointue (thinner and very pointy) or a baguette a cornes (spliced ends like a snake's tongue). You could baptise yours, a baguette a boutons (buttons or knob) or a baguette a poignee (door handle/knob, or fist/handful) or a baguette rouleau de patisserie (rolling pin).... I'm sure there's a boulangerie somewhere in France that has a name for this shape, I just don't know it! But it's very cool!
You are a lifesaver. Think I'll go with your baguette a poignee. I love it as much as the knobs. Thanks so much! -Varda
I want one!!!
Beautiful colour , fantastic bloom, crust and crumb.
I just saw the picture of your new kitchen. Looks wonderful. -Varda
Pretzels have a various shapes at various points along the pretzel, giving different texture and tastes depending on where you bite.
Tell your customers that the knobs give a delightful treat that the points do not.
David, The customers I see directly at the farmer's market don't ask, they just buy. Frequently as they walk away, I see them nibbling on the knobs. But apparently the people who buy from the store are a little more suspicious. I'll try out your answer and see how it goes. Thanks! -Varda
they are your signature. Plus if they get mixed in with someone elses way inferior, non knobby ones, a customer can quickly pick out the gilt from the dreck:-) Yours are gult for sure. Well Done and Happy Baking Varda!
Hey DA, If I keep breaking these suckers I'll have to go back to points. But yes, I was thinking that. How do I get people to realize these aren't the crap baguettes they can buy in the super market. Shape them different - that's the ticket. So I get your point. Thanks so much. -Varda
Beautiful baguettes Varda... Those knobs are pretty cool looking. If I were to use IY instead of fresh what would the amount be?
Regards
Ian
Hi Ian, Just divide fresh yeast by 3 to get the amount of instant yeast. Hope all is well. I guess you all didn't make it north this summer. Thanks for your comments. -Varda
Ok, seeing these, I just realized that it is about time that I try baking baguettes again. They look great, and I bet taste pretty damn good too. My favourite baguette sandwich is a simple brie sandwich. Nothing but thick cut triple cream brie between length cut baguette.
Was bulk ferment retarded in fridge?
John
Hi John, That sounds like today's lunch. Yum. I bulk ferment for an hour after mix with two S&F. Then in the refrigerator for a flexibly scheduled overnight stay. Works pretty well. Thanks for commenting. -Varda
The knobbed ends are indeed cool! Less hazardous than the pointed ends, which could be substituted as spears. And more distinctive than the typical rounded ends.
Beautiful crust and crumb, by the way. I haven't ventured much into baguette making, so I can definitely say your baguette making skills are a billion times better than mine.
Jolly bakings, Varda!
Zita
Zita I've never been a baguette person but they seem to be required around here. I started the Waltham market selling 12 and now I'm up to 48. Sounds like you have your hands full with your German breads. Thanks for your comments! -Varda
I like the look of the knobby baguettes. It reminds me of a rolling pin. Maybe the knobs will become your 'signature'? :) Too bad the knobs are a bit fragile though. After all the hard work you put into making the baguettes, it must be a little heartbreaking when the knob breaks off.
they still sell. And in this case I got to eat my first baguettes since forever. But yes, much prefer to sell bread intact. I'll just try to be more careful and see how it goes. Thanks so much for commenting. -Varda
I know this is an older post, but I actually know what the points of baguettes are called in French. Le quignon! Pronounced keen yawn
They have a name! Thanks so much. -Varda
noueux se termine le baguettes - so knobby ends would possibly be...... noueux se termine..... or even.... extrémités de crampons - all per google translate