SFBI Pain au Levain "long batards"
My most recent bread comeuppance has been thanks to Msr. Calvel. Someone recently posted a page from his book which had illustrations of differing bread forms and an accompanying table listing the features of each. Well, it turns out that my "baguettes" are not even baguettes according to the man. They match his characteristics of a "long batard": size, weight, shape and number of scores. Waddya know? Well, I'll still cheat a bit and continue to call them baguettes because I haven't noticed any bread police nearby to pinch me on this.
I'd nicked this formula from a David Snyder post about a year ago, who in turn got it from SFBI, so I guess this a nick squared. I ran out of bread yesterday with my last batch, and the dog's bread treat bowl was running on near empty as well. Since she doesn't get "additives" in her treats I wanted to bake something pretty straightforward. I decided on this one, which I hadn't baked in months. However I did post as "baguettes" the first time that I baked them.
If you are looking for an almost all AP flour dough, relatively low hydration (68%) but feels & acts like a high hydration dough, and which has a delightfully crisp snap to the crust with a lovely fresh clean taste - then this is for you. I was trying to fit in more adjectives but there must be an editing limiter on this website ;-) . Here is David's post.
Minutes away from the morning toast...
I made these extra fat - just because!
430g x 4 "long batards" (darn it)
Comments
sprouted bread is whole grain sprouted FAT BAGS. Well, these are not it but they are fat bags which gets you haft way there and out of Lucy's doghouse. These look as grand as can be and the crumb will turn out very nice too. KA flour's Baggies are AP at 67% hydration if I remember thighs but don't use their AP which has way too much protein in it for baggies of any girth, Pillsbury and Gold Medal AP are perfect for typical traditional French baguettes and if you put 2% fava bean flour or garbanzo bean flour in it then all the better. Can't wait to see the crumb with fat holes in it.
Well done and happy baking
similarly to Mr. Hamelman's formula directives. Therefore the protein percentage is a little higher than what I understand traditional French baguettes use in their uniformly milled flours to be. My bread flour is almost always Gold Medal as it is more available than Pillsbury's - even though they are both owned by the same parent company.
If Lucy has anything that I can help clear up in order to get me all the way out of the doghouse, simply place her in a postage paid plain brown box and ship her to me. Return postage guaranteed. Don't forget to punch a few holes in the box.
Crumb shot added on its way into the toaster this morning.
thanks, alan
Very well done indeed
Isn't the way to gauge a good scores having enough of an ear that you can pick up the loaf by the ear ? In this case you could shot your eyes and find a handle. One of these days we have to convince you to slice lengthwise too !
with a lengthwise slice. I've been thinking about hollowing out the center of some of these, and using them to transport contraband. With a big enough ear, I could disguise it as a unique kind of cosmetics case. Good idea or no? With daintier fingers I probably could pick one up by the ear. My luck - if I shut my eyes and reached for it, I'd more than likely slice my hand on the serrated bread knife. You're just trying to trick me!
alan
You can do it but I do admit if I had loaves looking that charismatic I might break tradition. As for a carrying case - a bit of shellac and I think you're good to go. It could be the latest Hollywood trend :)