Sandra Made Me Do It! Make French Baguettes, that is.
After being SO inspired by Sandra's beautiful pics of her gorgeous baguettes, I made dough from PR's ABED for french baguettes.
Having not made baguettes where you actually shaped and proofed them on a couche, I was up for the adventure/challenge.
So dough made last night/refrigerated & successful double in size; check.
Two dish towels duly sprayed with oil & floured (aka proofing couche); check.
With my handy wide spatula (aka benching blade), dough gently moved to counter & divided; check.
After shaping two baguettes, realized too small - readjust dough for remainder of baguettes; check. [btw - amazed at actually SHAPING baguettes. I know takes so little to please me.]
Art board (aka transfer board) successful in transferring baguettes & scored; check.
Peeking in oven while baking, and, lo and behold we have baguettes check!!!
: ) Hazel [pics posted]
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Replies to This Discussion
- Reply by sandra Alicante on February 21, 2012 at 3:56 pm
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Yippeeeee! Well done! Now, taste test needed and let us know what the crumb is like!
I am so happy I inspired you to have a go!
sandrascookbook.com
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- Reply by tarrka1089 on February 21, 2012 at 4:16 pm
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Thanks Sandra & Cindy! C'mon over - the more the merrier!
My one taste tester said they are as good as bakery baguettes. : )
They have a nice mild taste, the crumb is light though not filled with the lovely air holes. So now I know the difference between Artisan and French baguettes
: ) [This is as fattening as I'm getting for Fat Tuesday.]
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- Reply by tarragonmh on February 21, 2012 at 4:25 pm
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Those are beautiful!!! Congratulations. By the way, you yourself inspired me to attempt the bagels in ABED...they are resting in the fridge right now.
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- Reply by sandra Alicante on February 21, 2012 at 4:28 pm
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Hmmm, I wonder what other baked delights I can tempt you into? :) Those baguettes look just like the ones in the book!
sandrascookbook.com
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- Reply by Mike Nolan on February 21, 2012 at 8:31 pm
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I made the ABED bagels today, and I think just about everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong. The biggest mistake I made was not greasing the parchment, so the dough, which was probably a bit too soft after I let it rise too long, stuck to the parchment. They deflated quite a bit as I pulled them off to put them in the boiling water. They aren't pretty, but they still taste like bagels.
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- Reply by tarrka1089 on February 21, 2012 at 8:52 pm
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My motto Mike is "as long as they taste good, that's all that matters."
Of course, I do know how irksome it can be after the effort to NOT have something turn out [aka my challah where you came to the rescue and told me which recipe you used].
Tomorrow is another day!
: )
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- Reply by tarrka1089 on February 21, 2012 at 9:05 pm
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Awesome tarragonmh! You have to let us know how they turn out.
Which method did you use to shape your bagels? Have to tell you it was fun when I did the float test and found out so much for the 60-90 minute out of the fridge, they were ready.
Putting them in the poaching liquid and watching them puff up made me feel like "the mad scientist." LOL.
: ) Hazel
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- Reply by tarrka1089 on February 21, 2012 at 9:04 pm
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C'mon over - like I said the more the merrier. You guys are too kind - mine long to look as beautiful as Sandra's.
Seriously though, has there ever been a group to coordinate a meet/greet and fun weekend of baking? I think it would be a blast.
I'd venture to Spain or Italy (Tuscany - always wanted to go to Tuscany) or France to make and break bread. Of course, the bank account would croak, but what the heck.
: ) Hazel
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- Reply by tarrka1089 on February 21, 2012 at 9:07 pm
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Omaria - what are dragontails?
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- Reply by mrscindy on February 21, 2012 at 9:30 pm
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Oh, Hazel, you are such a delight! You MADE dragon tails.......sort of. Your cuts were a little deep, but you were on the right track. If I'm not mistaken epi's are often referred to as dragon tails.
It is so wonderful to find a new baker to the circle with so much enthusiasm and such a desire to try everything! I'm having so much fun watching you experiment and discover this wonderful world of bread. I've been making bread for more years than I can remember, so it awakens that slumbering monster in all of us 'old' bakers when a person like you comes along. Thank you! You make it come alive for so many reasons!
~Cindy
EDIT: I knew Mike could explain it better!
~C
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- Reply by Mike Nolan on February 21, 2012 at 9:28 pm
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Dragontails are a variant on epis de bles.
Instead of slashing the dough, you cut the risen baguettes with scissors at an angle, most of the way through.
For epis de bles (French for 'blades of wheat') you fan the cut parts out alternately to the left and right, so that the bread when baked looks like a stalk of wheat with the wheat berries sticking out.
For dragontails, you take the cut part and curl it up over the top of the baguette and press it into the other end.
Both are fun ways to make baguettes into a showpiece bread.
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- Reply by tarrka1089 on February 21, 2012 at 9:48 pm
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Cindy - you are so kind! Thank you.
Just me and my AccuBake oven (adult version to the EasyBake oven) having fun. And awesome 'old/seasoned' bakers inspiring me!
: ) Hazel
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- Reply by omaria on February 21, 2012 at 9:56 pm
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Hazel, look at the pictures on my personal page. Look at all of them, I think they are on page 3. Not sure. There are 2 pictures of the dragontails 1 before baking and 1 after. I will pull up a thread for you where we talked about them. Will let you know right here where to find it.
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- Reply by mrscindy on February 21, 2012 at 10:13 pm
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Hazel, I think this will get you to omaria's picture.
http://community.kingarthurflour.com/users/omaria?page=2
~Cindy
EDIT: Not quite, but it gets you to the page with her pictures of the dragon tails!
~C
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- Reply by omaria on February 21, 2012 at 10:17 pm
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Ok Hazel, post is right here on Gen. Discussion and there is one of those blue lines to click on for a little video from Susan of Wild Yeast. that shows you how to do the dragon tails.
Cindy, I really need to learn that trick with the blue lines where you just can click on.
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- Reply by mrscindy on February 21, 2012 at 10:22 pm
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Hazel, I can just see you sitting calmly in front of your adult EasyBake, peering in through the little-bitty glass window, watching your bread bake.
Mumpy is on her way to get me, we are bringing Irish butter. Please have plenty of hot bread and a great bread knife waiting for us. QC Team #1 is on the job!
~Cindy
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- Reply by tarrka1089 on February 21, 2012 at 11:19 pm
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Ok, who's been spying on me?! Hands, I want to see hands.
Yes, I was sitting in front of the glass window [on the adult version - I have a large window, loving it too!] And it was amazing to actually see the splits open right before my eyes. I tell you, it was the best seat in the house! And to think price of admission was only some flour, salt, yeast and water.
Not to worry, I can always heat it on the stone to crisp it back up and make it nice and warm.
Thinking about making another challah. Now that I know how to do a 5-braid [helped "seeing" how it was done - gotta love videos].
: ) Hazel
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- Reply by sandra Alicante on February 22, 2012 at 12:17 am
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Videos are my best friend. It's been interesting to read somewhere here, about the size of cup measures used in the book I have been using (5oz flour). I did it the American way and the dough was VERY wet for the baguettes. I found a video of the dough being made and it was not that wet..
sandrascookbook.com
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- Reply by tarragonmh on February 22, 2012 at 1:14 pm
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I did the rope method, which was surprisingly easy. I just took them out of the fridge, but you bring up a concern. I read the instructions about 5 times trying to determine if the float test was supposed to be "immediately" meaning "when you take them out of the fridge" or "immediately" meaning at the end of the 60-90 minutes. I finally decided, after reading the part that comes after, that it meant the latter....but you did the former?
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- Reply by mrscindy on February 22, 2012 at 3:32 pm
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Hazel, you poor dear, when you signed up at the NBC, you were not aware that we (older members) take a look at you through the camera (s) in your computer, iPhone, iPad, iTouch, whatever camera you have hooked to the Internet in your home, and if we feel you have baking potential, we watch you!
And, honey, you had great potential and we are having a blast watching you! 😃 You provided the nanny-cam! Hahaha!!
~Cindy
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- Reply by tarrka1089 on February 22, 2012 at 5:05 pm
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Cindy, you totally slay me! LOL!
Truth be told, I know that all bakers at one point or another have done the same thing, and if someone denies it.....well, it's ok, it'll be our little secret.
: ) Hazel
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- Reply by tarrka1089 on February 22, 2012 at 5:09 pm
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Sorry I didn't check in sooner - I actually found myself with the same dilemma. I finally decided to check before the 60-90 minutes and mine floated.
So I put them back in the fridge until the poaching liquid was ready and then took them back out and in they went for the bath.
Did yours rise more during that 60-90 minute period or stay about the same size?
So, how'd it go?
: ) Hazel
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- Reply by tarragonmh on February 22, 2012 at 6:10 pm
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I think they were out for about 45 minutes before I did the float test. It floated right away so I started the pot of water. I should have thought to put them back in the fridge while it came to a boil. Yes, they did rise during that time. Next time I will test it as soon as I take it out of the fridge. Good flavor though, and nice and chewy.
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- Reply by mrscindy on February 22, 2012 at 9:52 pm
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Hazel, I admit to squatting with Sultan, our cook in Iran, in front of the stove and peering intently through the window, watching while the 'magic, it happen' to yeasted breads. Although, I truly think he was more worried that the 'magic' from the wild boar roast, cooked the night before, might infect the bread! 😃😃
Watching what happens when risen dough hits a hot baking stone has become a lifelong fascination for me. I wish I had one of those time lapse cameras in my oven, like they have on FoodTV, so I could see the process speeded up! How cool would THAT be?!?!
~Cindy
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- Reply by tarrka1089 on February 22, 2012 at 11:40 pm
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Yep Cindy, now YOU'RE talking! Just place next the other "hidden camera" that captures us as we sit and stare in amazement to our dough rising.
: ) Hazel
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- Reply by tarrka1089 on February 24, 2012 at 9:50 pm
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Cindy - you ALWAYS make me laugh! What a visual! Yep, I'd be right there along side you - great company.
: ) Hazel
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- Reply by mrscindy on February 25, 2012 at 12:47 pm
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Hazel, if you don't laugh, the tears threaten to overflow. I can't let that happen. Sometimes when the tears start, they don't stop. I don't have time for that.
So I'm glad I can make you laugh. We ALL should laugh more!
~Cindy
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- Reply by mumpy on February 25, 2012 at 9:54 pm
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somehow missed this post....sorry about the wait...i'll hit the road first thing tomorrow!...if i have to pick up ria it may take a few days - i think she's in california?...but hazel will keep baking and have something nice to offer us, i'm sure!
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- Reply by tarrka1089 on February 25, 2012 at 11:11 pm
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mumpy - you better believe I'll definitely either have something in the making or just finished baking!
: ) Hazel
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- Reply by sandra Alicante on February 26, 2012 at 2:25 am
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Detour via Spain, anyone? :)
sandrascookbook.com
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- Reply by sandra Alicante on February 26, 2012 at 3:49 pm
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Hehehe! I'll put the kettle on! :)
sandrascookbook.com
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