[Sca-cooks] Re: Corn Bread (haring off in a different directi on)

[Decker, Terry D.]

Properly, a baguette uses yeast, but if you have a very active sourdough, it
is possible to produce a sourdough baguette.  As a small aside, most
commercial sourdough breads in the US are artificially soured and have a
yeast added to ensure the rise.

Whole grain flour is a little more problematic.  Baguettes are usually made
with the finest, high gluten bread flour available.  Most of the whole grain
flours available are too coarse a meal for a baguette, but it might be
possible with a fine whole grain flour.  King Arthur's White Whole Wheat
Flour comes to mind.

Because true sourdough baking is time consuming and not necessarily a
continuously repeatable process, French bakers often use a sponge to combine
the best effects of the sourdough and yeast breads.  A sponge is a yeasted
dough which allowed to ferment for 4 to 24 hours before being used to leaven
the dough in the same way a sourdough starter is used.  Using the yeast
provides an infusion of good yeast which is stronger than any airborne yeast
and the fermenting process supports the growth of lactobacilli to provide
the proper flavor.

Allowing a single day to pull yeast from the air is misleading.  A starter
already has yeast and is usually at the optimum balance of yeast and
lactobacilli.  A sponge has yeast added and doesn't need additional and
aerobically collecting lactobacilli doesn't do a thing for the sponge since
the lactobacilli reproduce anaerobically.  If they were making a starter,
that would take about three days.

As I remember the baking instructions, the shaped dough was introduced to a
500 degree F oven, for a short period to get maximum ovenspring and
expansion, the the oven is misted and the temperature dropped to about 400 F
to keep from over baking.  Total baking time is something like 25 minutes
(IIRC).

I never came across the products you describe, although this weekend I came
across a multi-grained French style loaf shaped like a baguette, but
definitely not one.  I have to admit I'm spoiled, by having a genuine French
bakery in town.  I don't have to put up with imitation French bread.

Bear


>
> Now I have a question that has nothing to do with corn bread
> if I may.  I
> used to work in natural foods groceries.  The first time, in the early
> 90's, there were (I think) two United States bakeries
> producing what they
> called authentic french breads (including bagette) from whole grains
> which the bakers claimed were made over the course of a day or so, so
> that the dough could pull yeast from the air  (this was ten
> years ago).
> I remember the bread very well, because it was light, even for being
> whole wheat, and it was pleasantly sour to taste.  All I had for
> information was the advertising on the  bag.  The bakers
> claimed it was a
> secret technique.  Were they relying on an advertising gimmick of some
> sort?  If not, why would a method like that produce an airy loaf?
>
> Thanks for reading this!
>
> Elizabeth