Experimenting with Double Flour Addition
I know one thing for certain: I am receiving a 5 quart KitchenAid mixer for Christmas. Now, normally, this would be a cause for excitement, as this is quite an extraordinary gift. And the truth is, I AM excited about the mixer; it will be the perfect tool for cakes and for pastries and other baking what-have-yous. But lately I haven’t been baking cakes or pastries–no, lately, I have been baking break, and my experiences with KitchenAid mixers + bread dough have been less than stellar. No, I have not burnt out the motor on a stand mixer (yet), but I have gotten quite a bit of underdeveloped, less than stellar dough from one.
Luckily, I found a new technique for those bakers that are attempting to knead dough in their KitchenAid mixers over at the fabulous blog Bread Cetera. It is called the “double flour addition method,” and it is used to better aerate bread dough when using the KitchenAid stand mixer. This is what Steve B from Bread Cetera had to say about the method:
With this as a backdrop, it became logical to infer that the more small bubbles there were to act as nucleation sites, the greater was the potential for the formation of the wide open crumb structure for which artisan bakers strive. Increasing the small bubble population was attempted using a two-step flour incorporation technique. Using this double flour addition technique, just enough flour is first added to a water and levain slurry to achieve a loose batter consistency. This batter is then mixed using a tabletop stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, until the mixture becomes aerated. Finally, the remainder of the flour is added and the dough is mixed with a regular dough hook (or spiral hook, if your mixer comes equipped with one), just until all the flour is incorporated. After a brief autolyse period, the mixing is completed as usual. This procedure resulted in a soft, smooth and silky dough with a wonderful elasticity/extensibility profile.
Using this method as a backdrop, I decided to whip up a batch of baguettes for tomorrow. Currently, they are rising on the counter, ready to be shaped and cold retarded over night. I’ll have pictures and analyses of the technique up tomorrow, hopefully, but I can’t promise anything. I’ll just say they’ll be up soon.
Over Night Retardation Baguettes Using Double Flour Addition (recipe adapted from Peter Reinhart and Steve B.)
10 oz. bread flour
10 oz. unbleached AP flour
1 Tsp. instant yeast
1 1/2 Tsp. salt
13-14 oz. lukewarm water
1. Combine both flours together and stir until completely mixed.
2. Put all water in the bowl of KA mixer. Add the yeast and enough flour to create a thick batter. On speed setting 3, beat this batter with the beater attachment for approximately 3 minutes. Add the remaining flour and mix with bread hook on speed 2 until all flour in incorporated. Cover and let autolyse for 30 minutes.
4. Add salt. On speed 3 or 4, knead the dough until it will pass the window pane test. Place dough in an oiled container and let rise for 2 hours, or until it has approximately doubled.
5. Carefully transfer the dough onto a well-floured counter. Divide into 3 pieces and shape into batards. Let these rest for 5 minutes, then finish shaping into baguettes. Carefully transfer the baguettes to a couche or baguette pans. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
6. Remove the baguettes from the refrigerator, and let them proof for 1 hour, or until they are approximately 1 1/2 times the original size. While proofing, preheat oven to 500 degrees, making sure your baking stone and steam pan are in place.
7. Carefully transfer the baguettes to a peel, or leave them in your baguette pans. Transfer baguettes to the baking stone. Place 1 cup of ice in the steam pan. Bake at 500°F for 10 minutes. Turn baguettes 180° if necessary, and turn down the oven to 475°F. Bake for an addition 10 minutes, or until the baguettes have reached approximately 205°F in the center. Remove baguettes from the oven, remove them from the baguette pans if necessary, and let cool for 1 hour on a wire rack.
