French Bread

[Admiral Toad]

There was thread on here about an Artisan 5 minute bread recipe/technique which I now use with excellent results

Can't find the thread now but sourced French bread from this mill and the results were brilliant

http://www.shipton-mill.com/flour-direct-shop

Guess what I'll be doing as the wash heats up !

[Almanac]

I tried that Artisan 5 minute bread recipe and followed everything to the letter but couldn't make it work. The dough was always too wet or flattened out too much on the stone. I'm looking for proper bread tins before trying it again

AidanMac

[Mash]

Proper tins make all the difference. Is the Recipe on this forum?

[Mr Four Square]

When it comes to baking I am a moron. I made this bread 2 times a week for months on end. It's easy. It tastes great.
I'm still a moron but now I am one who can make bread. http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11376-no-knead-bread

[Myles]

Proper tins and proper oven. If you are trying to make authentic baguettes it is a 3 day process. If you have the time it does make a nice loaf.

Even for routine daily bread if you can use a 2 stage overnight process you will be pleased with the results. Start with a batter method using only part of the flour. Let it rise in a cool place overnight. Following morning add the rest of the flour, knead it and let it re-rise, then proceed as normal.

[chill]

Aidan, use less water. It is easy to over-hydrate this. I had the same problem and put it up to living in a damp area and differences in the wheat. The recipe I follow calls for 2 cups of cold water for two pounds of flour (from memory). I get better results using 1 2/3 or 1 3/4 cups water. If you get the hydration right the result is brilliant.

Chuck

[Almanac]

Proper tins make all the difference. Is the Recipe on this forum?

Here you go http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/ ... utes-a-day

Service with a smilie

AidanMac

[Mash]

Thanks. I will have a read.

[Mash]

Cripes 12- 18 hours and it will stale really quick once cooked. Blimey.

Surprised it was yeasted - this is almost sourdough territory - should a a good flavour though.

[Easydrinker]

Maybe I is being stupid here?
French bread made in tins,like an English loaf?
I have spent a fair amount of time living and working in France,but do not recall ever seeing a "tin-shaped" loaf.
How they squeeze the pains,the baguettes and even the quatre-livres into the correct shapes is,I admit beyond me.
But I simply believe,from my experience,you cannot make bread,in the French style,outside of France.unless the baker is buying flour milled to the same spec.
This goes double for Croissants.
This may explain why in the days that I used to sit quayside waiting for a ferry back to England early in the morning,I was sitting amongst a plethora of white vans proclaiming that this was their contents.
Fresh French breads for the English people that would pay the premium.

These days,English supermarkets try to copy French breads,some come close.
Some don't.

I am always willing to be proved wrong.
PM me for an address to post samples for my judgement.
Nom Nom!

Robert.

[Admiral Toad]

I agree ED but that shipcote mill flour gets pretty close

I hand roll into 2 short baguettes on baking parchment covered with wholemeal flour
After resting they are popped on a double French bread baking Mould previously heated in oven on top of a pizza stone and bake removing parchment 2/3 through

I'll post a photo of the mould and result next time I make some but they are pretty damn good

[Mash]

"French bread baking Mould "

Is it one of those aluminium trays about the size of guttering, with millions of holes in.

Cos they are brill... I cut one up.

[Admiral Toad]

That's the kiddy. in profile it looks like a lazy W

[Mash]

I bought a commercial one that held 4 full french sticks- £5 off ebay. Chopped it in half and its a perfect fit in the stove for 8 subs.

Just use our ordinarie (heh hoh heh hoh) loaf mix and divide it into 4. Not a french stick of even close. But a regular for anything that ain't sliced!

[Easydrinker]

I didn't know that these doodies existed.
Will go looking for some.

Robert.