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corkybstewart on 4 Jun 2017 at 07:50

I started baking delicious whole wheat bread in college, carried on for about 10 years and suddenly all my loaves came out brick hard.  I threw the last 2 loaves I baked into the compost pile and didn't try again(I recently dug up the compost pile, those 2 loaves were still intact after 25 years).  I'm starting to bake again, but just simple stuff like pizza crusts.  My goal is to make a legit French baguette.  So thanks for letting me join, I'll try to not be too obnoxious with my questions.

Nice to have you on board. Looking forward to your bakes. Great crowd here. 

Your compost story made me chuckle.  

Are you using natural yeast (i.e. levain/sourdough) or the bought yeast?  It could be that your yeast just died but pretty much, if your yeast is active, you should be able to get softer bread than brick.

 

What is your recipe and technique?  This is definitely the right place--many people have had such great advice through the years.  Some real experts on these boards.  Keep on baking!

I've always used fresh yeast, my wife really detests sourdough breads.  I prefer hearty whole wheat bread, my wife prefers French baguettes.  My pizza dough has been improving lately so I may need to try a loaf of bread again soon.  Do you prefer the fast rising or the older style yeast?

I use the fast rising powdery yeast (active dry yeast I think is what I buy)

 

I have sourdough also which works but is more fussy.  I go through spells when I bake a lot of sourdough then stretches where I only use active dry.  Don't know what to tell you but keep trying.  That's what I do.  I use bread flour but other posts have suggested all purpose (in USA).  Don't forget the salt. 

Good choice of loaf - its a doozy - are you looking to replicate authentic flavor ? There a a whole lot of factors that come into play. Assuming you've eaten the real thing and trying to capture the same flavors you find from artisan boulangeries in France it requires (at least in my oponion) a few key ingredients and tools so if you are serious I'm happy to impart some knowledge of several hundred (probably approaching 1000 baguettes by now)

My wife is French, we inherited her parent's farmhouse so I have to replicate the whole package, especially the crisp crust and chewy center.  In fact over half the bread I eat each year is during the month we spend over there. A couple of years ago an excellent artisinal boulangrie opened up 6 kilometers away, they have an excellent assortment of breads hot from the oven all day long.

I'd love to get your advice, starting from scratch because nothing I've done in the past couple of years has even been as good as the bad supermarket bread.

 

That's pretty important other if you are in usa most the flour especially the closest 'AP' to french T55 is fairly flavorless and won't produce the same character no matter what you do.  There are a few tricks to get close but still will not taste like real baguette.  So if you are tuned into the flavor you miss (as obviously you are) best bet is to use a legit T55 or T65 flour that is grown and milled in France.  Another imporntant thing is a good stone to transfer heat - it's really important to almost shock baguettes with incredible heat in the first several minutes of baking.  Trays and other supermarket gimmicks produce something closer to 'baguette blanche' which I'm sure you know is not the same thing at all.  Also, yeast-wise, contrary to popular belief, more baguetttes are made with baker's yeast than sourdough yeast (mosrtly due to the cost restrictions and extra time and energy needed to make sourdough baguettes) - personally I prefer baker's yeast.  A couple of good videos to watch on youtube are louis lamore and wayne caddy.  I can post the links later ...