classic baguette

Last month, I started and maintained a sourdough starter using all-purpose flour.  After reading through various blogs, I decided to try my hand at a sourdough starter that used rye flour, substituting it for what is outlined in this recipe. 

Yield: 3 baguettes
700 calories per baguette
Active time: 25 minutes
Total time: Up to 20 hours

ingredients

for the starter

1/2 cup lukewarm water

A pinch of yeast

1 cup high gluten flour 

for the dough

1 teaspoon yeast

1 cup lukewarm water

all of the starter

3 ½ cups high gluten flour

2 teaspoons salt

preparation

the day before:

1. In a small sized bowl or Tupperware, combine the lukewarm water, yeast, and flour. Stir, cover, and let rest at room temperature for about 14 hours, or overnight.

the day of:

2. Take out starter, it should have risen and become bubbly. If it hasn't, your yeast may not be working. Dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of yeast in 1 tablespoon lukewarm water with a pinch of sugara Add to your starter and wait 15 minutes. If nothing happens, replace your yeast, and begin the starter process again.

Because I used a starter I began cultivating over 5 days ago, my starter didn't look super active. I dissolved pinches of yeast and sugar along with a tablespoon of lukewarm water to get it going.

 

3. Combine the lukewarm water, yeast, and pinch of sugar in a small bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. (See “loaded baked potato pinwheels” for more in fermenting yeast.)

4. In your stand mixer bowl, combine the flour, salt, and all of the starter. (I used 1 ½ cup of my rye starter.)

5. Using the dough hook attachment, “stir” until a shaggy dough forms.

6. Slowly pour in the yeast mixture, kneading on “stir” until a cohesive dough forms.

7. Increase your stand mixer speed to 2 or 3 and knead until a smooth and elastic dough forms, about 5 minutes.

8. Turn the dough out onto a counter top and knead by hands a few turns, forming a ball.

9. Place the ball into a large bowl, lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.

10. After an hour has elapsed, punch down the dough. Re-cover with plastic wrap and set-aside.

11. After another hour has elapsed (120 minutes after first set the dough aside to rise), punch down the dough, re-cover with plastic wrap, and set-aside.

12. After another hour has elapsed (three hours since you first set the dough aside in step 9), turn the dough out onto your counter top and divide into three pieces.

13. Roll each into piece out into a rope and let rest for 15 minutes.

14. Fold each rope in half, squeezing to release air bubbles, and shaping into a baguette by gently rolling on the counter top to stretch the log accordingly. You want to be sure to knead out the air bubbles, or the result will be a humongous, lopsided loaf. Sadly, this was a lesson learnt through experience.)

15. Place on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet, or baguette pan. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

16. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until very puffy, about 90 minutes.

17. I also made stuffed baguettes with one portion of the dough by cutting the dough into four pieces, rolling each piece out, filling each with smoked gouda and bacon and forming a jelly roll. (See “loaded baked potato pinwheels” for more cooking bacon and forming pinwheels.) I gave the stuffed baguettes about 30 minutes to rise.

18. With about 30 minutes remaining in the final proof, preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

19. Cover the baguettes with an egg wash and score.

20. Arrange a water bath and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the baguettes are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. (See step 9 of “carbs, glorious carbs!” for more on water baths.)

Original recipe found here. 

carbs, glorious carbs!

This afternoon some friends came over for a laid-back pre-Oscar lunch, so I got to try out a few recipe modifications I've been thinking about and use some of the sourdough starter I've been maintaining for the past two weeks. 

Our menu:

• Sriracha marinated pork tenderloin and salmon fillets 
• Rosemary and mint oven roasted brussels sprouts and fingerling potatoes
• Wild yeast baguettes 
• Blackberry and nectarine custard pie

Let's focus on what really matters, the carbs.

Wild yeast baguettes 

Yield: 6 baguettes
430 calories per baguette
Active time: 25 minutes
Total time: Overnight proof required, about 20 hours

ingredients

1 cup sourdough starter, fed about an hour before use 

1½ cups lukewarm water

1 teaspoon instant yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

2½ teaspoons salt

5 cups high gluten flour

preparation

The day before:
1. Combine warm water, yeast, and a pinch of sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes. 

2. Combine the starter, flour, sugar, salt, and yeast mixture, mixing with a spoon to form a smooth dough. 

3. Allow the dough to rise in a covered bowl for about 2 hours and then refrigerate overnight (up to about 18 hours). I covered mine with both plastic wrap and a towel. The photo below is after the 2 hour rise.

The day of:

4. Remove the dough from the fridge and divide it into 6 pieces. On a floured surface, gently shape each piece into a baguette. 

5. Place into a baguette pan.

6. Cover and let rise until very puffy, about 3 hours.

7. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F.

8. Brush the baguettes with egg wash and topping.

9. Place water bath below the baguette pan. A water bath  is a pan of water that is placed into the oven to provide a constant, steady heat source that ensures even, slow cooking. 

10. Bake the baguettes for 25 to 30 minutes, until they're a very deep golden brown.

11. Remove the loaves from the oven and cool.

Other modifications:

• Use a parchment lined baking sheet instead of a baguette pan.
• Don't include a topping with the egg wash.

Original recipe can be found here. 

Blackberry custard pie

Yield: 8 slices
160 calories per slice
Active time: 5 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes

ingredients

2 cups washed blackberries
1 large nectarine, sliced about ¼ inch thick
¼ cup melted butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon dried lavender 

3 large eggs

¾ cup almond milk

¼ teaspoon salt

preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease a 9-inch pie dish. 

3. Arrange blackberries on bottom of the baking dish, keeping the fruit fairly flat. Pinwheel the nectarine slices on top of the blackberries.

4. Combine the butter, sugar, flour, vanilla, eggs, almond milk, dried lavender, and salt in a medium sized bowl and blend with a hand mixer until all ingredients are well blended. 

5. Slowly pour the batter over the fruit, making sure to evenly distribute it around the pan.

6. Bake the custard until golden and firm to touch, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Other modifications:

• Change up the fruit depending on your tastes or the season.
• Substitute almond extract for the vanilla.
• Use clove, nutmeg or cinnamon instead of lavender with pomaceous fruits. 
• Use dairy milk: The custard will be a little more dense and, if you use whole fat milk, taste a little richer.

Original recipe can be found here.