Baguette & Bâtard

Posted by 4akitchenblog on 01/11/2013 · 4 Comments 

 I wish you could smell what I smell right now.

Voila! Just baked Bâtard :-)

I was not planning to bake the Bâtard this morning.

I was going to make the Baguettes as usual.

After the bulk fermentation (Overnight), I was just about to divide the dough.

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Honestly speaking, I’ve kept away from the Bâtard on purpose since I started baking bread.

Even though I really REALLY like the round, catlike, lovely shape…

Why?

Well…, there are two reasons for that.

FIRST : I have been focusing on Baguette so hard that I didn’t even think about the Bâtard since today.

SECOND : I was NOT ready to commit myself to scoring one long (yes, looooong) slash!

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I know.

Nobody knows and nobody cares whether I will be able to score on the Bâtard or not.

But…, seriously,

it is a kind of “Big Event” to me.

If you don’t decide when is the right day, it has never come.

You know what? It is like a driving a car! You really need to make a commitment to do it.

(Ugh… I don’t want to think about driving right now. Forget about it!)

Anyway, I did it. I did it today.

I feel like I’ve passed an important exam today!

Baguette & Bâtard with a big smile :-)

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Submitting this post to YeastSpotting.

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☞  Please have a look at my Baguette Summary as of 2.10.2013

 

Based on Anis Bouabsa’s baguette

Makes 1 Baguette and 2 Bâtards

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Formula

287.8 g All-purpose Flour (100%)

0.518 g Active Dry Yeast (0.18%)

215.8 g Water (75%)

5.18 g Salt (1.8% )

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Directions

1. In a small bowl, weigh out Active dry Yeast. Add 7 g Water (warm) out of  215.8g and stir until the yeast has dissolved. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, mix flour and rest of water roughly, cover it with plastic and Autolyse for 30 minutes.
3. Add yeast mixture and mix by folding dough in the bowl.
4. Slap & Fold for 3 – 4 minutes.
5. Add salt and Slap & Fold for 2 minutes or until the dough becomes a ball.
6. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
7. 1 set Stretch & Fold (1 set = right over left, left over right, bottom over top, top over bottom)
8. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
9. 1 set Stretch & Fold
10. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
11. 1 set Stretch & Fold
12. At a cooler place, let it rise until the dough just starts showing the yeast activity. It took 7 hours this time. (The original recipe says you can put the dough in the fridge at this stage.)
13. Put it in the fridge overnight. In this case, 12 hours.
14. Pull it out of the fridge and leave it out for 1 hour.
15. Divide into 2 equal parts and preshape the dough.
16. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
17. Shape into baguettes (This video is very informative!) and place onto a floured couche, seam-side up.
18. Preheat the oven to 500°F
19. Final fermentation 1 hour 35°C / 95°F
20. Score the top of the baguettes using a lame or a sharp, serrated knife.
21. Place the bread in the preheated oven, pour the water onto the brick blocks and shut the oven door immediately. Turn down the oven to 480°F, bake the bread around 20 minutes.
22. Let them cool onto a rack.
23. Ready to eat!

* The time and temperature will be changed depends on the season.

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Filed under BAGUETTE, BREAD · Tagged with All-purpose flour, Baguette, King Arthur flour, Overnight fermentation, Yeast