Debauchery Baguette!

Baguette Levain

 NOTE: This post is going to be edited later. DONE with many interuptions!

So this weekend was rather quiet and I needed a little bread fix. I have been lusting after the baguettes on The Fresh Loaf dubbed the Anis Baguettes, wonderful open crumb and a 20 hour ferment.  Janedo over there and also her blog, which I need to ask if  I may add her to my blogroll, she spent the day with the recipient of the best baguette in France award. He Anis Bouabasa shared with Janedo his process and formula. These are amazing if they are done correctly. My baguettes decided early on in our relationship they were not going down without some combat! Also, of course, I just cannot leave well enough alone. Here is an acknowledged baker with much more experience than I and I have to try to tweak things.

Mine did come out great after all the fighting. First the autolyse, the bowl was knocked off the counter, as luck would intervene it landed and everything stayed in the bowl. Mixed and set aside in the retarding fridge and go back and someone has knocked the little fellow over again. Now, we are up right again! (It needs one of those shirts that says,(upside down font) If you can read this, please turn me over!) Okay, it rose quite well in the fridge and after 20 hours it made it back to the counter. Across the pond (the sink in this case) it almost fell into the dishwater but I saved it with the peel. It didn’t want to go on the peel. Oh, did I forget to mention it didn’t want to let go of the couche! Ohhhhhhh!!! Finally on the peel and half way onto the stone!! Ohhhh!!!

But for all the mishaps and yes, I realized early on that I shouldn’t have been in the kitchen today, they are quite edible and have a great crust. I don’t think with the absence of commercial yeast I had the same open crumb but I haven’t cut the best looking one yet so we will wait and see.

 

 Levain Pre-ferment

35   grams of  starter (firm levain)

80   grams water

135 grams flour (all-purpose)    

Dough

365   grams flour (all-purpose)

295   grams water (set aside 10 grams for use with salt)

10      grams salt (sea salt)

215    grams pre-ferment above

Baguette au levain

 

Directions:Make preferment 12-24 hours ahead and set aside at room temperature (71 degrees). Preferment should double at least. (the formula is a really wet one and is quite sticky)Dough: combine warm water and flour only; autolyse for 25 minutes. Add preferment and incorporate till well mixed. Allow to rest 10 minutes. Combine salt and 10 grams of water and dissolve most of salt; add mixture to dough and incorporate fully. Set aside covered with plastic for 2 hours folding every 20 minutes. You should notice a difference in dough after the first hour. Gluten will begin to form and dough will be sticky but lifted directly up it should completely pull from the bottom of the bowl while still sticking to hands.

Cover with plastic and place in refrigerator (42 f. for retarding) for 22 hours. Remove, scale and pre-shape. Allow to rest 1 hour.

Final shape and Proof on couche or whatever method using 45 minutes or until indention pressed dough doesn’t return quickly. Score and bake in 480-degree f. oven using humidity. Bake 20- 25 minutes.

Baguette Crumb

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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