My second attempt at baguettes started much the same as Bread 1. I went with Bittman’s basic measurements, except I cut back a little salt this time and varied the flours, trying to lighten the crumb from last time. In the food processor, with a metal blade, this time I put:
1 ½ cup King Arthur bread flour (4g protein per ¼ cup)
1 ½ cup Arrow Head Mills organic enriched unbleached flour (4g protein per ¼ cup)
½ cup Arrow Head Mills organic Kamut flour (5g protein per ¼ cup)
1 ½ tsp Morton Coarse Kosher salt
1 ½ tsp saf-instant dry yeast
1 ½ cup NYC tap water
I gave it a quick whiz in the food processor, and then placed it in a large metal bowl to rise. This time I stretched the protective plastic wrap across the top of the bowl, last time I pressed it down to the dough and it stuck a little when I removed it.
The dough proofed for 4.5 hours. I turned it out and divided it into 5 equal portions which I rolled into 5 balls and covered with a floured side-towel for a second rise. (There were some dryish spots I ignored.)
The 5 balls rose for an hour after which I rolled them out with a pin and folded them into thirds. I then pinched the seam together and placed them seam side down between two towels.
½ hour later I slashed the top of each loaf with a razorblade and put them all on the peel.
I sprayed the walls of the oven (preheated to 425 for ½ hour) with water and slid the 5 loaves off together onto the stone.
5 minutes into cooking, I sprayed the walls of the oven with water again.
25 minutes later I looked in and decided they were still a little blonde, so I sprayed the walls with water one last time.
27 total minutes in the oven and I pulled the 5 loaves out.
Ok, so this time I changed a couple of things:
1. I snugged the stone against the back wall of the oven, since last time the loaves fell off the end.
2. I put the stone on top of a roasting pan to avoid the hot spot in the center that scorched the bread last time.
3. I went with 1 ½ tsp salt because Bread one was just a little salty with 2 tsp.
4. I changed the flour to a three-way mix: bread, AP, and Kamut hoping to trap more air.
5. I divided the dough into 5 loaves as opposed to 4.
Except for avoiding the scorching I did not love this bread more.
1. I liked the crunch of the crust but not the carmelization.
2. The crumb lacked the missing flavor of the salt.
3. The baguettes were too thin in diameter
4. The crumb was not significantly more airy.
There is always next time!
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