Modified Experiment
Modified Experiment
o
How does length of fermentation affects the crustiness of baguette?
Introduction
The word 'baguette' literally means 'wand', 'baton' or 'stick', for instance magic wand in French is baguette magique. It could be deduced that it was not originally used to refer to a certain type of bread. It was until the 19th century that Viennese steam oven baking was introduced to Paris did the 'long stick bread' gain its popularity and was widely recognised as 'baguette'. A good baguette will taste cottony and have an 'apricot' scent.
Experiment
What?
To investigate how the length of fermentation affects the crustiness of the baguette.
Who?
Cheng Tin Long Alex
When?
Observation should be done instantly as soon as it was cooled down within the same period of time.
Where?
Home kitchen.
Why?
To find out the best length of time for fermentation for the crust to be crispy
How?
Go through the recipe except using different length of fermentation. Measure the thickness of the crust (centre point), the weight of the crust without the 'cotton' part, compare the colour of the crust.
Recipe:
Yield: 8 servings 60 1/2 inch slices
Estimated Preparation Time: Variable
Estimated Actual Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Estimated Total Time Required: 3 hours
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1.75 ounces warm water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 16 ounces bread flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 10 ounces cool water
- additional flour, for dusting
Ingredients and Apparatus:
Procedures:
1. Measuring and mixing 500 grams, 7 grams, 1 tbsp Kosher salt
2. Separating the mixture into three exact proportion, kneading the first dough by adding 115 ml of warm water. Then an hour and two hours repeats the same process. And let all three of them ferment for one hour. The final result is that there are three hours that have been fermented for one, two, three hours respectively. They should add up to a 930 grams of dough.
3. Bake the three baguettes for 250 degree celsius for 20 minutes with a preheated oven.
4. Observation:
4.1 Putting weight on the crust via a rope until the surface shows a crack.
4.2 Measuring the thickness of the crust.
4.3 Measuring the weight of the crust by removing the cotton part.
PRELIMINARY TRAIL RESULT
Before, demonstrating the test results and data, it is crucial for me to define the word ‘crustiness’. From what I have researched, crustiness occurs when there is a dehydration of food ingredients. Due to fermentation letting alcohol and water vaporizing from the dough, dehydration will be more efficient. There are three criteria for an ideal state of crustiness.
The thinner and better. The darker the better (caramelization), (but not burnt), (golden brown), the less tough the better. Therefore, ideal crustiness is golden brown, thin and crispy .
Three different dough have shown different results. I have first made the 3-hour dough, then the 2-hour dough, then the 1-hour dough. Then put it in the same oven with the same temperature and same time. Letting them rest for 15 minutes under the same environment.
Color:
Baguette (1-hour)
|
lightest
|
Baguette (2-hour)
|
2nd lightest
|
Baguette (3-hour)
|
darkest
|
Thickness of the crust:
Baguette (1-hour)
|
1.5mm
|
Baguette (2-hour)
|
2.5mm
|
Baguette (3-hour)
|
2mm
|
Net weight of the crust:
Baguette (1-hour)
|
52.2g
|
Baguette (2-hour)
|
51.2g
|
Baguette (3-hour)
|
47.9g
|
Weight needed for the crust to crack (at the centre point)
Baguette (1-hour)
|
1.5kg
|
Baguette (2-hour)
|
1.5kg
|
Baguette (3-hour)
|
1.2kg
|
Definition of Crustiness:
Before the experiment, my hypothesis is that judging by the three aforementioned categories of crustiness, the longer it is proofed and fermented, the crustier it is.
General results and conclusion:
However, the above results show that not three of them shows direct correlation. As only the color, and the weight needed for the crust to crack is positively related to the time of fermentation. I assume that it is because these two categories are more directly related to the vaporization of alcohol and water of the dough. As caramelization happens more efficiently when the water content is lower. And that the baking process will be more efficient to dry out the remaining water in the dough. Therefore, these two datum are more positively and directly related.
Problems identified and the corresponding measures:
1. The toughness of the crust is tested by add weight on the baguette until it cracks. However, as the course suggests that we should measure the result using obtainable resources but not the overly scientific ones. Therefore, the marginal unit for the weight measuring but be too big to precisely measure it. By using a spring balance, the weight to pull apart the crust can be shown more accurately.
2. The cotton part of the bread may not be perfectly removed as the surface of the crust can be very rough. Causing a certain degree of error in the measurement.
3. As the air content, of each dough is different. There may be error when separating the dough into 3 equal piece. However, it can also be considered as part of the effect of the fermentation.
Science behind
The best crusts come from a well-fermented dough. This has to be the basic criteria in searching for the crust grail. “Best” here entails a mix of flavour colour and texture.
The longer fermentation enables a greater liberation of subtle flavour and aroma factors, which are trapped within the wheat matrix and released by the ferment. As the steam escapes the baking loaves, these volatiles are deposited on the crust as the escaping water/alcohol is vapourised.
Thus a well-fermented dough will give the best flavoured crust and textured as well because an extended fermentation develops an aerated protein structure which caramelises as crunchy.
The alcohol evaporates during baking n Time depends on the amount of yeast, temperature of the room and the kind of flour. n The dough should be at least double in volume. To check…gently push 2 fingers into the dough. If an indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.
Source:
Comments
Post a Comment