Sourdough Baguettes – Attempt #3 (Part 4)

This post has a video of me shaping baguettes. As you can imagine I’m multitasking and probably not doing a good job of anything. Again, this will show me shaping baguettes. I’m new to this. My technique is horrible. I’m trying to record as a way for me to remember what I did. The doughContinue reading “Sourdough Baguettes – Attempt #3 (Part 4)”

Sourdough Baguettes – Attempt #3 (Part 3)

This is a short post showing me doing a coil fold. I’ve referenced them before but never attempted posting a video. NOTE: This is ME doing it and I’m not an expert in any way! There are plenty of videos on YouTube made by bakers far more experienced than I. Before this I’d snipped offContinue reading “Sourdough Baguettes – Attempt #3 (Part 3)”

Sourdough Baguettes – Attempt #3

Well trying again…. This is already turning out interesting. Mixed the Poolish and Levain today and decided to make the temp of the mix 80°F. My flour was 74.5°F I thought I’d make the water temp 85°F. Both weights of flour and water were 200g … the average would be ~ 80°F. I microwaved myContinue reading “Sourdough Baguettes – Attempt #3”

Sourdough Breadcrumbs

Made sourdough breadcrumbs from some day-old bread and baguettes. I mentioned that I was going to do this in my last post. Good use of older bread. Process was pretty simple. First make croutons then crush them. Cut up the bread into crouton size pieces. Add a bit of olive oil, sprinkle of salt andContinue reading “Sourdough Breadcrumbs”

Sourdough Baguettes Alternative Part 3

Well… they looked like baguettes (sorta). Good thing was that I didn’t put my oven out with my massive volume of steam. Secondly, they were sized about right for my scalloped rack and not overhanging. My wife’s comment was: “Why did you change virtually every variable from last time you attempted baguettes? Doesn’t seem likeContinue reading “Sourdough Baguettes Alternative Part 3”

Sourdough Baguettes Alternative Part 2

Today is the day to bake baguettes! I’ve been juggling baking schedules in my head since today I’m baking not only these baguettes but sourdough loaves and croissants as well! My morning started out with baking my bread. I’d preloaded my Dutch Ovens and set my oven to preheat this morning. All I had toContinue reading “Sourdough Baguettes Alternative Part 2”

Sourdough Baguettes – Different Approach

Time to try making Sourdough Baguettes again. This time I’m going to try a different approach. I’m using Joshua Weissman’s recipe and method described here This is a couple day process. I’m actually running it in parallel with my normal sourdough bread AND a batch of sourdough croissants!! Wow… look at all the baking goingContinue reading “Sourdough Baguettes – Different Approach”

No mixer used at all…

This time I made bread by hand without using my KitchenAid mixer at all I went straight to my tub and mixed the flour and water to begin the Autolyse process. using my Swedish dough hook I mixed in the water, formed a ball, spritzed with water and covered with cling wrap. I’ve mentioned beforeContinue reading “No mixer used at all…”

Limiting Mixer Use

I saw an Instagram post recently by Kristen Dennis @fullproofbaking. In her post she ran an experiment contrasting the use of her KitchenAid mixer vs hand folding. Her hypothesis was that the mixer resulted in a much tighter crumb structure and a more limited oven spring. The crumb structure she posted for her bread kneadedContinue reading “Limiting Mixer Use”

Sourdough Baguettes (Part 6)

Ok…. This post is why I started this string of posts in the first place. On my journey of learning to bake sourdough I’ve come to realize it is a mixture of science, art (sometimes black art), whimsy, luck and my ever-present Sous Chef (do bakers even have these?) Murphy. I’ve gone through all theContinue reading “Sourdough Baguettes (Part 6)”