Baguettes and Batard

Yield: 2 Baguette, 1 Walnut Batard

Portion size: 350g each

Method: Yeasted Bread – Lean Bread

Ingredients:

224 g water

10g brown sugar

370g poolish

468g bread flour

3g instant yeast

12g salt

50g walnuts, chopped (for Batard)

 

Prepare the Poolish:

Ingredients:

170g Bread Flour

3g instant yeast

200g water

1. Mix together flour and yeast. Add water.
2. Mix well until flour is fully hydrated.
3. Cover and ferment for 10-15 hours.
4. To feed the starter; discard half of the poolish; then add water and flour

 

For Baguettes and Batard Dough 

1. Dry: Combine flour and yeast.
2. Wet: Combine water and poolish. Then add sugar and salt.  Mix using whisk. Then breakdown the mix with both hands.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Then pour the wet ingredients.
4. Mix well using bowl scraper in counter clockwise motion while the bowl is turning clockwise.
5. Transfer to bench, using the heel of the palm, fold the dough until shaggy consistency is reached. 
6. Autolyse in bench. Cover the dough with bowl for 15 minutes.
7. Fold all the side of the dough towards the center, then slam the dough. Repeat not more than 8x.

8. Divide equally the dough into three. 1 part of it is for Batard and 2 parts are for Baguettes.

For Batard

1. Flatten the dough.
2. Put first half of the wallnuts  in the center of the dough. Knead.
3. Flatten again the dough. Add the last half of the walnut. Knead again. 
4. Make a boule.
5. Ferment for 30 mins.
6. Put the dough upside down. On a floured bench. Degas. 
7. Fold all the side of the dough toward the center.
8. Proof  for 30 minutes.
9. All side of the dough towards the center. Make a boule.
10. Make a short baston.

11. Rest bench for 10 minutes Clean the bench. It should not have flour.
12. Fold all the side of the dough to the center. Pinch to seal. Make a football shape dough. 
13. Bench rest for 30-45 mintues. Test for indentation. 
14. Put the doughs on the bake well paper in the oven . 
15. Baked with steam for 20-25 minutes at 450 F.  Adjust heat towards end if necessary to achieve proper crust color.
16. Transfer to cooling rack.

For Baguettes

1. Make a boule.
2. Ferment for 30 mins.
3. Put the dough upside down. On a floured bench. Degas. 
4. Fold all the side of the dough toward the center.
5. Proof  for 30 minutes.
6. All side of the dough towards the center. Make a boule.
7. Make a short baston.
8. Bench rest for 10 minutes. 
9. Flatten the dough mildy. May use flour on hand to prevent stickiness.
10. Fold the dough from top , bottom, top , then top again. . Use heel of the palm to make a seal.
11. Second reshaping. Roll the dough using thumb against forefingers. Lenghten to 18 to 36 inches and lift occasionally while rolling.
12. Reshape it for the 3rd time until desired length.
13. Transfer it to couche using flip board if needed. Bench rest for 30-45 mintues. Test for indentation.
14. Score baguettes. 5-7 slashes (Odd number). Score fastly half an inch depth.
15. Sprinkle flour on top of the baguette dough. As much as possible do not touch the baguet.
16. Put the doughs on the bake well paper on top of full sheet tray. . 
17. Bake with sream on bake well paper for 20-25 minutes at 450 F. Adjust heat towards end if necessary to achieve proper crust color.
18. Transfer to cooling rack.
19. Best serve with oil, butter and salt