Baguette & Bâtard
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
- 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.
- In another bowl, mix flour and rest of water roughly, cover it with plastic and Autolyse for 30 minutes.
- Add yeast mixture and mix by folding dough in the bowl.
- Slap & Fold for 3 – 4 minutes.
- Add salt and Slap & Fold for 2 minutes or until the dough becomes a ball.
- Let it rest for 20 minutes.
- 1 set Stretch & Fold (1 set = right over left, left over right, bottom over top, top over bottom)
- Let it rest for 20 minutes.
- 1 set Stretch & Fold
- Let it rest for 20 minutes.
- 1 set Stretch & Fold
- 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.)
- Put it in the fridge overnight. In this case, 12 hours.
- Pull it out of the fridge and leave it out for 1 hour.
- Divide into 2 equal parts and preshape the dough.
- Let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Shape into baguettes (This video is very informative!) and place onto a floured couche, seam-side up.
- Preheat the oven to 500°F
- Final fermentation 1 hour 35°C / 95°F
- Score the top of the baguettes using a lame or a sharp, serrated knife.
- 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.
- Let them cool onto a rack.
- Ready to eat!
* The time and temperature will be changed depends on the season.
Gorgeous baguettes…the crust is sensational! I agree that a long, cold rising produces more flavor, so Im going to do that with some hard rolls. I hope I get a crust as gorgeous as yours!
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for your kind words! I just woke up and you already made my day! Good luck with your baking and I am looking forward to seeing the post on your blog :-)
Yuko
I’ll let you know when it’s up. Just made the poolish last night :)
Hi Lisa,
It sounds exciting! I hope it’ll turn out well :-)
Yuko