50% Whole Wheat

Aside from the burnt bottom, the bread is great. Makes me want to get a baguette pan though, so the bottom won't be flat. Or burnt.

Update (3.3.09): I ordered the baguette pan last night!

This is the first time I've incorporated steam into the baking process. I'm amazed by the outcome. If only I hadn't left them in the oven too long... The bottoms are pretty dark. I hope it still tastes ok.

For the steam, I put a rimmed baking sheet on a rack in the highest position while the oven preheated. When the loaves were ready to go in the oven, I poured about a cup of hot water on the hot sheet. I also spritzed the oven walls with water with a misting spray bottle. I think I left the oven temperature too high after I put the bread in. Then I didn't watch it as closely as I should have because the new HD TV was distracting me...

Also, next time I make baguettes I'll try to slash them at a sharper angle.

Since I'm serving this with soup, I thought a nice, crusty baguette would be perfect. Now, I don't know if they'll turn out as crusty as I'm hoping, but at least I have the shape down. I made a makeshift couche out of parchment and a couple rolled up kitchen towels.

soaker
14 oz mother starter
2 oz unbleached bread flour
5 g salt
.25 oz yeast
1.5 oz honey
1 oz canola oil

I mixed it in the stand mixer again. I kneaded it by hand for a couple minutes, then put it back in the mixer after letting it rest. I think I may have actually kneaded it enough this time.

I've decided that 100% whole wheat is a bit much. For this loaf I adapted the master formula so that the starter is 100% whole wheat but the soaker just uses bread flour. The book provides a formula for a transitional whole wheat bread, which is also a 50% whole wheat loaf, but that one calls for a whole wheat soaker and a white biga instead of a starter. I wanted to use my starter because I'd refreshed it a few days ago and I didn't want to waste it.

Since the whole point of the soaker is to soften up the whole grains, I figured this one didn't have to sit for a few hours before I could use it. I just let it sit while I waited for my starter to come to room temp from being in the refrigerator.

8 oz unbleached bread flour
1/2 tsp salt
6 oz milk, warmed