(no subject)

[roadrunnertwice]

Last night's baguettes turned out stellar. Not on absolute terms (remember, I used to chuck arguably the best baguettes in the Midwest across the counter, so humility is a must around here), but they're the best I've ever made by a long shot. Nice crackly explode-everywhere-on-bite crust, nice open-but-not-TOO-open texture, great taste, pretty decent all around! Things and Differences:

• I think I'd been making the dough FAR too wet, because this time I held fast and just worked it bone-dry instead of wimping out and adding more water, and WOO, vive la difference. I also used warmer water than I had the last few times, to try and counteract the winter chill in the apartment.
• Also, I aged the poolish a day longer than the last few times, and I think that may have helped a bit.
• OH, and I actually coated the whole ball of dough with oil this time, which I think kept the moisture balance steadier over the age of it.
• Reinhart is right about replacing 1/3 of the flour with whole wheat bread flour sifted way fine. The taste makes it absolutely worth the hassle. Now I just need a project for bran.
• I ran out of bread flour a while ago, so I just used Safeway brand all purpose for these. And it worked brilliantly. What the fuck? This is why I don't pay for that King Arthur stuff, is because I obviously haven't got my technique to the point where I hit the limits of my flour.
• My shaping technique is better than it was, so hurray for that.
• I brought back the steam pan. It never worked well before, but I figured it was worth another try now that I own some heavy-gauge baking sheets.

Of course, the sides did comically blow out. So now I'm reading up on scoring technique, and also about steam. Here, among other places, which gets big points for the post title "Everybody Must Get a Stone." (Also, l--lava rocks? WTF!)

Comments

[itastelikelove.livejournal.com]

Man...every time i hear you talk about bread, it reminds me just how inadequate straight book-learning is. I actually don't think i've ever had any real, direct contact with an excellent baguette. Barely even know what to look for...

Speaking of which - did you ever find any good bakeries in the South Puget Sound area? I like some of Blue Heron's stuff, but their bread seems mostly limited to spelt loaves and such. I've heard good things about San Francisco Street, but I've never been there.

[roadrunnertwice]

Yeah, Blue Heron is about as anti-French as it gets. I love 'em, but it's a very different lineage from anything I've learned how to make.

SF St. is pretty good. They go for rougher, tougher, sour sorts of boules, mostly; I dunno if I've had a baguette from them or even whether they make 'em. They used to have this walnut levain that was just killer, and the crumb was practically blue. They're always at the farmer's market, but biking out to their actual bakery is fun, 'cause it's in a very very Eastside sorta neighborhood. I recommend hitting it on one of those four perfect days coming up in February.

Other than that, I don't know shit. :/ I was off fancy bread for quite a while after leaving the Cities, since it tended to just make me homesick.