senders.io - Bread Blog

Bread

I decided to make a singular dedicated page to my recent bread bakes. - I am trying to at least keep a log of each bake, what went wrong/right in - hopes of nailing a recipe that works best for me.

February 17, 2020

First post! I have done four bakes in 2020 that are worth mentioning. - Three that ended up rather successful and one lesson learned. Because - this is my first post its containing three very similar bakes that were - effectively the same recipe

Boules

I have made two very good boules in 2020. I first made a pate - fermentee using the following ratio using 50% of my total flour weight: - (500g, so 250g).

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- Pate Fermentee -
Item	%
Flour (Bread)	100%
Water (Room temp)	70%
Yeast (Instant)	0.55%
Salt	10%

To make the pate, I mixed all the dry ingredients together, then - added the room temperature water. I let that loose mixture rest for 15 - minutes. Once it was rested, I wet my hands and bench (lightly) and - kneaded for roughly 8 minutes. After kneading I tightened the dough into - a boule and let it sit in a plastic wrap covered greased bowl for an - hour. After an hour I placed it into the friged, as is. -

The next day, basically in the AM when I had time to bake I took the - dough out of the fridge, cut it into smaller bits (four), and let it come - to room temperature (ish, about an hour). I prepped the same ratio above - except with warmer water (~108°F). When I added the water to the dry - ingredients I added the pate along with it. I used the curved edge of my - scrapper to cut into the pate and incorporate it fully. Once I felt it - was all one loose mess I let it sit for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes - I wet my hands, and bench, and began to knead the dough for 8 minutes. - After kneading I formed the dough into a boule and placed it into a - greased bowl covered in plastic wrap. I let that sit on my bench for 90 - minutes or so. After the first proof I dampened my bench and took the - risen dough out of the bowl and lightly pressed it into a thick circle. I - then took the, what would be, corners of the mass and folded them into - the center, rotating after each fold. This process creates a boule shape - while creating tension. I would continue to do this about 8-10 times - really until it felt like I couldn't grab anymore/it wouldn't - stick. Then I flipped the dough over and tightened the boule in a - scooping motion as I rotated it. Then placed it into my floured banneton. - I let it rise again for about 45 minutes. Around the 30 minute mark I - would preheat my oven to 500°F. Once the oven was preheated and its been - at least 45 minutes. I flipped out the dough onto the peel (dusted with - corn flour) and scored it. I then misted the top with a spray bottle of - water and slid it onto my baking stone. While preheating the oven I also - set a kettle to boil some water which I poured into the preheating baking - sheet on the bottom rack. I set the timer for 10 minutes and every two - minutes or so I would add more boiling water. After 6 minutes I rotated - the dough using the peel (careful not to damage it). And misted the - facing side with the spray bottle (I found the back is lighter so this - helps make the entire steaming more even). After the turn and mist I add - twenty minutes to my timer and drop the temperature to 450°F.

This produces a nice, well risen boule with a golden brown crust.

I skipped the pate in my most recent bake and just did 100% (500g) - starting from "day 2". I also subtituted 100g with AP - flour.

Baguettes

I actually did the boule recipe first for my baguettes. I did aiming - for 1000g flour so my pate was with 500g and a 50/50 AP/Bread mix. I - screwed up the ratio for yeast and added almost double. The recipe is - essentially the same with the final steps being the difference.

After the first proof I sliced the dough into three chunks. Then I - formed those into boules and let them sit for 5 minutes. After resting I - then rolled them into batards and let them sit for 10 minutes. After 10 - minutes I then rolled them into baguettes and placed them on the baguette - sheet. And then baked them. After letting them rise for 45 or so - minutes.

Accidents

Baguette rolling is hard. And I need to let the dough rest longer - between each shape.

1000g for three ~15 inch baguettes is too much. I would do 750g next - time.

Proofing on the sheet is not recommended in the future as the rose - really well (probably all that extra yeast!) and ended up sticking - together.

I broke my oven light with my spray bottle. And I ruined my cast irons - seasoning usnig that for the boiling water.

What to do next time

Next french style boule, I want to do a pate again. As I've only - done it for one boule loaf. And I want to try making two loafs from - it.

Resources

Bake With Jack's Youtube - Channel really helped me shape up my shaping up. And the core of - the pate+french bread recipe is based on that from The - Bread Baker's Apprentice