This video was the best video I have ever seen on making baguettes. Thank you for sharing all your knowledge and baking skills.

Thank you thank you. Bread (plus wine and cheese) is essential. I have been baking good sour dough wheat and Rye breads for many years. Never could get the crust and crumb quite the way I wanted. Your video has taken my breads to the next level. Thank you thank you.

First off, I just want to say how very impressive your site evolution has been. I've been following your podcasts since the FCS days, and you never cease to impress me with your knowledge, skill and patience. WELL DONE!

I noticed in this version you are using AP flour instead of bread flour. Could you please outline your rational?

Thanks again,

Jacob,

My hotel pan and baguette mold finally arrived so I gave the baguettes a go this weekend.  Did the stretch and fold 5 times as well as the kneading and it resulted in a pretty airy crumb.  Tasted great but I'll wait to use my sourdough starter the next time as the taste was not comparable.

Thanks for the help.

My main problem with the video is that I am gaining weight from all the good bread this video has enabled me to bake. Crust is crackly and the crumb is of mixed hole sizes. Neither have I previously been able to achieve. The flavor when made with sour dough starter is wonderful. I do still notice a difference with breads that I have had in San Francisco. I'm not getting quite the sour I'm looking for however I think with time I'll figure it out and of course I am anticipating future videos.  I do have a question concerning one subtle difference I am observing. It seems to me that some artisan sourdoughs have more of a crumb shine or glossiness that I have yet to be able to achieve. Not enough kneading? This weekend I did a double batch of dough and half is visible below. One regular boule, one loaf with caramelized onions, and one loaf with jalapenos. The remaining dough is resting overnight to increase the sourness.


 

Using the recipe, I made these fabulous rolls to go along with my braised beef brisket. The crispiness of these rolls were perfect with the brisket and stood up with the brisket gravy. Not to mention tasting damn good on their own. I scaled them out at 100 g each (yield 13 rolls) and ended up with a 77 g (2.7 oz) roll. A little too big for a dinner roll, and slightly too small to make sandwiches. However, for my use (Braised Brisket on a Crusty Bun) it was ideal. Kind'a like a ramped up Sloppy Joe.

I have some observations and some questions:
I did the pull n' fold (official terminology) method 6 times as recommended. In the video, you go on to show how to knead the dough, then add the salt, then do the window pane test after kneading.

Was I supposed to do both the pull n' fold and the kneading (I did both)? If not, when would I have incorporated the salt?

When incorporating the salt while kneading, it went everywhere. During the kneading process the undisolved Kosher salt (course) kept falling to the board, and felt awful in the dough. I let it rest, and once hydrated and disolved was much better. But I was really afraid that I over-worked the dough.

The directions say to knead the dough until it passes the window-pane test. It would only do the window pane, after I let it rest. I could not knead it and immediately do the test. When I double checked the video, it made it sound like the test happens at the end of the kneading process, but your boule looks like it rested. Can you clarify this step?

Because I wasn't using baguette molds, I trayed them with parchment and scored each twice. I put a 2" half pan in the bottom of the oven (475^o F, convection), and filled it with water when the dough went in. The oven spring was a beautiful thing. After 10 minutes, I rotated the trays, removed the water pan, and reduced the temperature by 50^o F. After another 10 minutes, I turned the trays and changed shelves. I left them for another 12-15 minutes. Beautiful golden brown crust. I did not probe them.

I placed them on cooling racks, where they sat happily crackling away. It sounded like Snap, Krackle and Pop were partying it up! As they cooled, little white (opaque) pimples formed on the crust, and on some, the crust actually cracked. Although, not at all unpleasant, I am curious why that happened.

The crumb was gorgeous, with tight little cells (probably from kneading?), but again perfect for my use.

I apologized for the indepth play-by-play, but this is the first time I have pulled bread from the oven that I have been this excited about. Usually it has been a really blah experience.

Thank you for showing us how great this can be.

Marc