Making Bread: Baguettes

All bread recipes should start with the following caveat: "It's not as hard as it seems, it just takes some planning."

Today in the Andrews' kitchen, another adventure in bread-making is underway. I'm experimenting with baguettes, following the CIA recipe but changing up the proportions of bread flour and whole wheat flour. In fact, I used 100% whole wheat flour in the poolish (that's the pre-ferment that I started last night) instead of bread flour. We'll see what happens.

Here's the poolish recipe, in weight as per CIA instructions:

156 grams whole wheat flour
156 grams water, 55 degrees F
.3 grams yeast

• Mix by hand until combined. There will be little lumps.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Then remove and let stand at room temperature for 12 - 18 hours before using.
• The poolish with ferment and rise, and there will be bubbles on it. 

Dough Recipe:

269 grams water, 85 degrees F
476 grams flour (I used about half whole wheat, and half bread flour)
3 grams yeast
14 grams salt
312 grams poolish

Mixing the Dough

• Put the water in the bowl of your mixer and add the poolish.
• Mix on low speed for about 2 minutes to break down the poolish.
• Combined the flour, yeast and salt, and add to the poolish.
• Mix the dough for 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl and flip the dough to combine thoroughly.
• The dough should be sticky and hold together in a ball.
• Place the dough in a large lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

First Proof

• Allow to rest and ferment in a warm place for 45- 60 minutes until dough springs back halfway when touched lightly.
• Place dough on lightly floured board and fold it into thirds.
• Place back in bowl, covered for 30 minutes.

Second Proof

• Line a baking tray with cloth napkin or kitchen towel.
• Flour the towel.
• Place the dough on lightly floured board and divide it into four 6 oz pieces.
• Shape each piece into 8 inch oblong
• Place the loaves seam-side down on the floured towels, cover with cloth
• Allow to rest and ferment in a warm place for 45-60 minutes until dough springs back halfway when touched lightly
• 20 minutes before the end of second proofing, pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• 10 minutes before baking, place a tray with 3 cups of warm water below the baking area of the oven to help produce steam 

Baking

• Place the loaves lengthwise on a baking tray lined with parchment.
• Keep the seam on the bottom.
• Spray the top and sides of each loaf lightly with water
• Let sit for 5 minutes, then score the top of each loaf with a sharp razor 
• Spray loaves lightly again. This will help add steam and allow the loaves to expand.
• Transfer loaves to the oven and immediately reduce temperature to 475 degrees F.
• Bake for 12 minutes
• Rotate loaves in the oven and remove the steam tray.
• Bake for 8-10 more minutes more.
• If at the end of the baking, the crust isn't thick enough, turn the oven off and leave the bread in the oven with the door cracked for 4-6 minutes more.
• Remove from oven and place on cooling rack