French Baguette - Close Enough.

Today I attempted to bake the most famous French bread, the Baguette.  I know for sure that it was not going to be the same with the One, but I tried my best to get a good result, which was close enough to It.

Based on the recipe I got from my reading, these were the quantities to make three sticks, and the key was using sour dough starter.  Due to not having the sourdough starter, I omitted this ingredient; instead I am baking plain Baguette by using extra active dry yeast.

The Ingredients
500 g white plain flour
1 cup of warm water

1 tablespoon dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water
2 teaspoons salt

I love baking bread, and I enjoy the kneading by hand.  Forget about the machine!

Knead By Hand
Put the flour on a work surface and make a large well in the centre.

Pour the warm water, (add a little more if you need ) and mix until the flour has been incorporated.

Keep in a bowl, cover with a damp cloth, let it rest for one hour.

Add the yeast, water, salt to the dough, knead it too becomes smooth and elastic.

Shape into a ball, put in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth.  Let rise for 1 hour and 30 minutes.  It will have increased in volume by the end of the rising time.

In the mean time, I could do other work, and I could go out somewhere as long as I am back in time for shaping the Baguette.
People always say I don't have time to do baking, especially baking bread, it takes too much time, I could get it from the shop anyway.   May be it is true, but you missed the fun of it.

The dough indeed have increased in volume
by 1 hour and 30 minutes rising time

Divide the dough into four equal pieces.

Fold each piece over on itself, pulling gently to stretch into a longish log.  Cover with a damp cloth and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

Shaping:
The shaping is my own way, and they look almost similar, I have not mastered the shaping and scoring just yet.
The baguettes are on the tray to proof for one hour and forty minutes, and they are covered with the damp cloth.

Baguette Baking Tray

The baguette has been proof for 1 hour and forty minutes.

Place the baguette on a lined baking tray, dust with flour and make four evenly slashes a long the length of each baguette.

The Baking:
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees C, just before putting the baguette in the oven, pour 1/2 cup of water onto the preheated baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a cooling tray.

Freshly Baked Baguette

They have a good crust, but the inside crumb is OK, good enough but not the best.

The baguettes look so good out and inside, even the crumb seems so right.

My assessment

• The first step: flour and warm water were incorporated, but it was so dry.  I was a little anxious to see that the flour mix was dehydrated and I decided to add extra water about 1/3 cup.  It became a hard flour dough. It did not look right.
• After one hour rested and covered with a damp cloth, the dough became relaxed and softer.  I added the rest of the ingredients, mixed and kneaded the dough.  But I was struggling, it was tough and sticky,  I need extra flour to enable me to incorporate the whole lot and to knead it to make a smooth and elastic dough.  All together I added 80-gram extra flour.
• The dough became smooth and elastic after the kneading, and I was happy about it.
• Now the dough was rested again, and I was looking forward, in 1 hour and 30 minutes, I expected to see that the dough would become doubled in size.
• After the time, the dough did not rise to double, but it was close enough, and the texture of the dough, was soft, light and spongy. Promising!
• The last proofing was one hour and forty minutes before baking, see what they look likes.
• Curiosities: what would the baguette look and what kind of texture would it have.

The Result.
These were the answers:

1. They looked pretty, just like baguette should be. 
2. The bread has to sound hollow when it is tapped, very crusty the outer, the crumb inside was too smooth but not fluffy.  
3. They were alright but could be better.

I think I did not do the right thing along the process.  I will do it again and work diligently and see what the result is going to be.   

I may have to get the sourdough starter and follow the recipe to a T.

Until Next Post
Susy