This is an exercise to try out baguettes made with rye flour and comparing this with those baguettes made with Japanese bread flour. The total amount of flour for each batch is 500g. But for each batch the amount of rye and of Japanese flour is 60g (or 12%.) I used the method in Anis Bouabsa’s award winning recipe.
Ingredients:
440g Bread Flour
60g of either rye or Japanese flour per batch
1/4 tsp dried yeast
2 tsp sea salt.
375g water. ( 75% hydration).
Method:
Mixed the ingredients altogether.
Let the dough rest 30 mins.
Stretch and Fold for three hours; at hourly intervals and then, cold bulk ferment in the fridge for 20 hours.
Next day, transfer to floured surface; divide into 4 pieces for each batch.
Pre-shape and rest for 1 hour.
Then shape them into baguettes.
Proof further for 45 mins while the oven is heated up . At the end of 45 mins, bake for 25 to 30 mins at 250˚C on hot stone or metal trays. I used steam generated from a hot metal pan in the oven.
Details of his recipe by Anis Bouabsa, a Parisian baker, and can be found in the internet.
Showing the dough with the Japanese flour after 20 hours cold bulk proofing in the fridge.
Showing the dough with the Rye flour after 20 hours cold bulk proofing in the fridge.
The cold dough of each batch is divided into four pieces of roughly equal weight. Pre-shaped and set aside to rest for 20 mins.
After resting to relax the dough, the final shaping into baguettes and proofing another 45 mins.
Hot out of the oven. Cooling on a metal rack.
Sliced baguette to show the airy open crumb.
Comments:
The handling of the cold dough was easy and posed no problems. Shaping into baguettes was simple. The oven rise for both batches appeared the same, perhaps a little more for the batch with the Japanese flour. I found that slashing the former was also a little easier. The lighter coloured baguettes are the ones containing the Japanese flour. The darker ones are made with the rye flour. Both are nice. I like the “rustic” look of the crispy, crunchy crust! The light and fairly opened crumb. Delicious flavours, especially the ones with rye flour.
A rustic looking baguette with crispy, crunchy crust, a soft yet chewy crumb, light and airy, with a delicate aroma of baked bread and a delicious flavour! Sooo good, you can eat it on it’s own! Absolutely divine with salted butter!
“If I survive, I will spend my whole life at the oven door seeing that no one is denied bread and, so as to give a lesson of charity, especially those who did not bring flour.” —Jose Marti
John. Ben here For all purpose flour or bread flour do you use local flour or King Arthur or red mill four both imported and higher percentage of protein 16/17% against local which has less
Hi Ben, Nice to hear from you and particularly, that you have begun baking bread at home. I prefer to use Bob Red Mill’s Enriched Artisan Bread flour, which is popular and not always available.Failing to get this, I use King Arthur’s Bread Flour. The local brands are ok, but not so high in gluten content. The gluten number varies with the method of extraction and grinding of the grains. I have not seen any flour local or foreign, that has a gluten number higher than 14. And I have used many types of flour from many countries. I sometimes buy the Canadian high gluten bread flours but these are expensive. And I try always to get unbleached, organic flours where possible. You may want to take a look at this site for more information on the comparison of different flours: https://www.weekendbakery.com/posts/understanding-flour-types/ Hope this helps!