Best Baguette of 2013 by Ridha Khadher

Peter’s birthday is coming up soon. He doesn’t want presents, a party or surprises. He’s really happy when I bake good baguettes to join his favorite birthday meal. Since he’s a young boy he loves to eat vegetable soup with baguette and French cheeses on his birthday. 

I’ve baked some different baguette these last months. And today it’s time to bake the Best Baguette of 2013. Ridha Khadher won the title Best Baguette 2013. 

Stefanie of Hefe und Mehr was able to build the recipe based on the rough information mr. Khadher gave in an interview. He uses nearly ice cold water, kneads his dough more and uses a long (24 hour) and cold (refrigerator) fermentation. I just followed Stefanie’s recipe and I’m lucky I did. It’s a delicious baguette. Of course there are more delicious tasting and smelling baguettes. But, this one is also very easy. The most difficult part for me is shaping baguette without destroying the bubbles. I’m still working very gently on that part.

Thanks Stefanie for building a recipe for us to work with.

Specifics
Name                                       Beste Baguette of 2013 by Ridha Khadher

Found at                                  Hefe und Mehr
Yields                                      4 baguettes
Dough temp.                            24°C
Autolyse                                  45 minutes
Mixing                                      by hand until all combined, 8 minutes
Strech and Fold                         2 times after 20 minutes

Fermentation                            24 hours in refrigerator
Shape                                      baguette
Proof in refrigerator                  35 minutes  

Bake 230°C                               25 minutes; 10 with steam and 15 without

This is what I used:
Bakers formula                      %          grams
Flour                                       100       500

Water                                      68        340
Salt                                          2          10       

Dough
Unbleached wheat flour 550                 500      
Water, 5,6°C                                       340

Salt                                                      10                                                       
Yeast, dried                                           5

This is what I did:
I placed all ingredients, except yeast and salt, in a big plastic bowl with lid. With my hands I mixed until all ingredients were combined and left for a 45 minutes autolyse. I added the yeast and salt, mixed for 8 minutes by hand. 

After a 20 minutes rest I folded it from the outside of bowl into the middle for three or four times. I let it rest for 20 minutes again, then folded the dough again.

Bulk Fermentation: I placed the lid on the bowl and left it to ferment for 24 hour in the refrigerator.

The next morning I pre heated the oven.

Shaping: I divided the dough into pieces of 200 grams and pre shaped into squares. I let it rest for 20 minutes. Then I rolled them gently into baguettes of 30 cm.  

Proofing: I proofed the baguettes for 35 minutes on a couch.

Pre heating: I pre heated the oven to 230°C and prepared for steam.

Preparing and Baking: When the oven is hot enough I boil water and pour it in a glass bottle with a long neck. I pour some boiling water on the hot stones and quickly close the oven door to keep the steam in the oven.
I place the baguettes on parchment on a peel and scored it them with 3 slashes about 5 degree from the centre. Transfer to the oven and quickly slide the loaf on the baking stone. After some minutes I add some more water to get more steam.

I baked the baguettes 10 minutes with steam and quickly removed the parchment paper and the steam pan. I baked the baguettes for another 15 minutes. Bake the baguettes until golden brown colored.

Cooling: Let cool completely on a wire rack.

I send this to Susan’s YeastSpotting