PIC 1 said:
Hey Rairdog,
Here's the basic Baguette recipe that will give you 4 shorter 250g or a couple larger twin French size loafs.
Keep in mind I always keep a container of flour (50/50 mix of T55/T80 or in US standards AP/White Whole Wheat) handy on the counter for feeding my SD Culture. The culture I use was a biga that I've obtained many yrs bake from a local bakery, and I have a few in the fridge for and usuallybackup. The SD is maintained at 100% of that 50/50g mix plus 100g of bottled Italian spring water.. I'll feed the starter everyday and sometimes twice right before using to maintain and preventing any sourness. Half of the mix gets dumped or used depending on my needs, always maintaining around a 200g amount. If I'm too lazy to bake I'll put the container back in the fridge right after a feeding.
100g SD (fully active)
600g T55 Flour
400g Water
15g Sea Salt
7g Instant Yeast
I place a large cast iron skillet on the oven floor, bread stone on the middle rack. Pre-heat to 470F...proof baguettes in a dusted (brown rice flour) clothe or kitchen towel. When ovens up to temp, place slashed baguette(s) onto stone and quickly pour a cup of hot water into cast iron pan (simulating steam injection). Bread is baked for 25 min. At that point the oven is turned off, door cracked open and the bread will continue to bake until brown or internal temp is 200F.
There's many other variations to this procedure and other flour combo's when making this style bread. It all depends on the type of crumb (tight or loose) and the density and color of the crust desired.
French flour is generally lower in gluten, which is a result on the protein content. Softer pastry flour (T45) is the lowest, the hard wheat T150 has the highest protein and ash mineral content.
If you want the airy crumb with the larger holes anytime of the year you need to go with a higher hydration of 68 up to 75 or so percent. Also fine a means of creating steam during the first 10 minutes of the bake....that will prevent the crust from forming and tightening up.
I have some dough in a container and will post a bread appetizer tommorrow in the "last spicy" food thread
Good luck on your baguette making.....
Starter was fed last night and I am going to try this on sunday. I was going to try a recipe from one of Reinharts books, but rather try yours. What is best way to mix? Knead? Mixer? Stretch and fold?
Thanks for the info. I looked into the flour website....currently all sold out. I am going to use up the rest of my bread flour then hopefully they will have more in stock.