Baguette with preferment

This Baguette with preferment is what I have worked for a couple of years to get perfect crumb. Of course, I care about the taste.   I posted this recipe on TFL before, but I reduced the yeast, and also changed the method for now.

This dough is very sticky because 80% hydration as to 100% flour.   But I really like this crumb, which is very sweet even though I use only flour,water, salt and a bit of yeast.

   I wanted to make a long and round baguette than a long and slender one that I always make because it is easier for me to get the crumb that has a lot of holes.

Here is my recipe “Baguette with preferment”

1 baguette ( Approximately 52cm long)

Ingredients:

Preferment (Day 1  At the night before going to bed- Ferment : 12-15 hours )

Less 1/8 tsp    Approximately 0.4 g  Instant dry yeast ( I use Fleischmann’s Bread Machine)

76 g  Water

95 g  King Arthur All purpose flour

Final dough (Day 2)

Less 1/8 tsp    Approximately  0.4 g  Instant dry yeast ( I use Fleischmann’s Bread Machine)

76 g  Water

95 g King Arthur All purpose flour

3.4 g Salt

*Barley malt powder          1 g ( you need the malt if  your flour doesn’t contain barley malted flour)

Method:

1. Preferment (1): Mix the preferment flour and yeast well until incorporated, then add the salt and water. Stir well with a fork. leave it at the room temperature for 2 hours.

2. Preferment (2): Move the preferment in the refrigerator and leave it for overnight.

3. Preferment (3): Next morning:  Check out the dough if it has enough bubbles from the bottom to the top. If it has the bubbles, it is ready to move to next step. If the dough doesn’t have enough bubbles on the dough, Wait until you can see the bubbles all over.   　　　 This dough is ready →

* note:  This dough doesn’t rise at this stage, which I am aiming for.

4. Mix the preferment and final dough:  Mix the final dough’s flour and yeast until incorporated. Then mix all the ingredients and knead for 2-5 minutes until you can achieve the dough temperature ( DT)  70 F.

5. Ready to ferment: Put some oil or shortening in the glass bowl and place the dough to ferment.  Cover it with plastic wrap and put a rubber band around the bowl to avoid to get dry around the surface.

6. Bulk fermentation:  Leave the dough at the room temperature around 70F for 1.5-2 hours until you can see some bubbles on the surface, and many bubbles on the bottom .Punch down 2 times every 20 minutes at the first bulk fermentation.

7. Cold bulk fermentation: Leave the dough at the room temperature around 64F  5-6 hours until the dough rises double in bulk.

8. Preshape:  put the dough on the floured wood board very gently. I use a plastic folder that is cut into a rectangle and coated with shortening.

The bottom is face now. Stretch the dough X way to make a rectangle  around 35cm x12cm, 8mm thick using a rolling-pin and your hand.  Fold the dough in a half, but leave 2-3cm extra on the bottom dough

Stretch out the dough until you desire and pat it gently.  This is 52 cm long. Gently pat on the surface  and put a damp towel over the dough.

9. Bench time:  Put a damp towel over the dough and rest for 15 minutes.

10. Shape: Using your finger tips, pat the dough gently… ( I feel like that I can shape the air in the crumb at this time)

Fold the dough in a half and pinch the both sides very tightly.

11.Final proof:  Place the dough in the linen,that is covered with a big plastic bag and proof for 20-30 minutes around 72F.

12. Scoring:

13.Preheated 465F ( I can’t use maximum temperature 500F. I broke the fuze twice before because I bake baguettes too much.)

1) Bake at 465F for 7 minutes with steam ( Sylvia’s steaming method)

2) Take out of the steaming towels and a parchment that was on the baguette, then decrease the temperature to 450F  and bake more 13 minutes.

3) Shut off the oven and open the door a little bit and leave the baguette for 3 minutes in the oven. – I got this idea from David.

 I am happy with today’s baguette, but my dream baguette is still far from this one.    Practice, Practice, Practice……

 

Submitted to Yeastspotting

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