I used a hybrid yeast and sourdough recipe. Mixed 500g caputo 00 flour with 65% water until it passed the windowpane, 30 min autolyse, then added 1.25g instant yeast and 15% starter along with 2% more water and 2% salt. Let it sit out for about 30 min then into the fridge overnight. Reshaped the next day, then did the final shape and let them rest for 40 min in the couche, then baked at 500f for 21 min. Would love any critiques and feedback. I really want to master baguettes and think I have a very long way to go. They always come out very pale.
by ts159377
14 Comments
Maybe cook it longer hotter oven
You can increase the temp of the oven and add foil at the bottom of the cast iron to prevent burning of the bottom crust 🙂 hope this helped
Do you use boiling water in a steam tray for the first half of the bake?
Do you have an oven thermometer to check that it really heats to 500°F when it says it has?
Caputo 00 flour does not have any enzymes or malted barley powder in it, so you may want to consider adding 0.5% diastatic malt to your flour to help with browning.
15 minutes with steam, open oven to release steam, 5 minutes without steam, turn off oven crack door about an inch, and let them sit for 10-15 minutes.
You need the steam bath
What kind of caputo 00 are you using? If it’s the blue pizza flour, it is designed for pizza, quick bake in 800-900 F oven, not really for baguettes. Depending on where you are, other flours may perform better.
Sourdough can sometimes struggle to brown depending on its conditions.
Edit: that is to say if it is under fermented it might not brown well
Why do you add the starter after autolyse? The yeast in the starter unlocks the sugars that are stored in the flour. These sugars are what produce the nice golden brown color that you’re looking for so you want to give the yeast plenty of time to grow and break down the flour.
You could try making a preferment the night before to begin the process then use that for your final Baguette dough.
You also want a really hot oven. I start at 500°F with a pan on the shelf below a pizza stone. Put the loaves on the pizza stone and put about a cup of hot water in the pan below. Spray the sides of the oven with water and close for 30 seconds open the oven and spray the sides again and close for another 30 seconds then spray one more time. After the 3rd spray I reduce the oven temp to 425° remove the water pan and bake until the loaves are golden brown. My oven is hotter towards the back so I rotate the loaves once after about 10 minutes then let them bake until golden undisturbed after that.
Diastatic Malt powder.
Add a little sugar to the dough.
Or, better, add a little diastatic malt powder. Helps converting flour into sugar. Also gives a very nice rich flavor. Very little is needed. Will make your baguettes brown.
The sugar will caramelize and give a nice deep brown color. Also makes the crust extra tasty.
Follow this recipe to the letter & you will get the best baguettes!
[https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/videos/martin-bakes-at-home/baguettes](https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/videos/martin-bakes-at-home/baguettes)
Bake longer. First half of the bake on a sheet and second half on the rack.
Bake them longer…
There appears to be dry flour on the surface, which impedes browning. My last loaf caramelized beautifully, but had no brown on the flowered areas.