Hi
pls help. Trying to make Peter Reinhart’s Classic French Bread formula from Artisan Breads Everyday. This is my 6th attempt. :(
My dough does not get smooth or silky even the initial mix. The formula is
5 1/3 c KAF unbleached bread flour
2 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
2 cups lukewarm water
the dough refuses to become smooth. I thought it was a problem with not enough water, so I kept adding a bit at a time but even after 20 mts of alternate hand and machine kneading, it still didn’t come together.
The dough appears torn and in layers and rough and lumpy. This hasn’t ever happened to me before. I just made his ciabatta and a lean dough which were both fine. Not sure what’s wrong. Pls help! Thank you!
A bad match. If you watch videos of french bakers mixing dough you will notice an unbelievably smooth dough which usually takes an incredibly short amount of mixing. Then try thr same with KA - it will always be lumpier. King arthur bread flour is way too strong and requires much more kneading than the flour french bakers use. The best advise is to use a weaker flour. You knkw you have a close match if a kitchen aid can produce smooth glutenized dough in a couple to a few (2-3) minutes of vigorous mixing - see below photos for example - this is imported t65
KA AP flour. It has a lower protein content and should be easier for what you want. KA bread flour has a protein content of almost 13%. The T65 imported French that Kendalm refers to is ~10%. AP is somewhere in between, more like 11 - 12%.
Good luck
hester
As you state is really strong in comparison to french flours - i can attest and it still wont get that really smooth sheen - once you go with french flour suddenly american flour seems like leather but it doesnt have to be smooth necessarily just needs to hit max elasticity - this pic above looks over mixed actually. If using a kitchen aid this routine should get KA AP to its prime - 8 minutes slowest speed at about 63-65% hydration then go to full speed for 6 minutes and slowly add h20 to bring the dough to 70-72% for about 6 minutes. At that point it should come away from the bowl and be as smooth as it possibly can be (it'll still be lumpy but not terribly)
Try leaving it alone for a while. Mix it up, then let it sit for at least ten minutes. Then mix a little bit more and then ignore it some more. Then do a few stretch & folds. See how that works for you.
Oh, and ditto for the AP versus bread flour. :)
thats Great feedback. Thank you all. This photo was after about 6-8 mts of mixing. I’m going to try the AP flour that we get here in India - it’s approx 10% protein, which should be perfect.
Duh I always thought those lovely holes and light airy bread is bec of higher gluten which can only be achieved through higher protein flours! Thank you guys.
I wish formulas would mention what strength of protein the dough needs so we can use the appropriate flour!
This thread is an example of why I try to read as many different threads as possible. What useful information this is. Truly the TFL site is an educational oasis. Thanks.
I had to dig up the algebra segment of my brain and dust it off after 30+ years, but I'm wondering if this would work...?
So, for example, if I have 125g of 9.4% protein cake flour, and I add 43.75g of 11.7% protein AP flour, do I have 168.75g of flour with a total protein content of 10%?
Or is it like apples and oranges and you can't look at it like that?
... just curious
--Mike
P.S. Feel free to check my math - like I said it's been over 30 years.
As a former high school math teacher, I can confirm that your approach is algebraically correct. The precise answer is that y = (6/17)x, and rounded to two decimal places y = 0.35 or 35%.
Now ... does flour work that way? I leave that question to the flour experts.
i followed all the advice, found an AP flour here with 10% protein and have re made the baguettes. Just gone into the oven - it’s not silky smooth but at least I was able to form a baguette!!
Its just gone into the oven. Fingers crossed