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4h •
The Baguette Staircase — Saturday Bake-Along Recap, Week 17
I fell asleep at my desk Friday night. Woke up at 6:55 with keyboard creases on my face and the working thread already moving without me. That’s the story of Week 17. Not the bread. The bakers who decided to show up scared and bake anyway. 🥖 1,869 comments in the working thread 🥖 ~10,300 interactions across the week 🥖 63 new bakers 🥖 954 members and counting First-timers got cheered into next week. Robert Caldas baked the loaf he didn’t think he was ready for. Stacey said it best: “Never let the ‘F’ word ‘Fear’ stop you.” The full recap, every name, every story, lives here: 👉 https://lemon-diner-3mj4.here.now/ To everyone who climbed a step this week — next Saturday we climb the next one. ~ Henry ⭐🔥
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1d •
🌟Saturday Bake-Along: Baguettes Working Thread🔥💯
Today we're baking baguettes. If you've been waiting for the right week to try them, this is it. Here's how the working thread runs: drop in throughout the day, share where you are in the process, post photos, ask questions as they come up. I'll be in and out answering. The whole point is that nobody bakes alone today. A few things to keep in mind before you start: Hydration matters. Baguette dough is wetter than a sandwich loaf and that's on purpose. Don't fight it with extra flour. Trust the folds. Shape with intention. The pre-shape sets up the final shape. Rushing the pre-shape is the number one reason baguettes come out lumpy or uneven. Score with confidence. One quick motion, blade angled almost flat to the dough. Hesitation gives you a torn loaf instead of a clean ear. Steam is non-negotiable. Whatever method you use, get steam in that oven for the first 10 minutes. No steam, no crust, no shine. If you need the recipe, here it is: https://pantry.bakinggreatbread.com/ Drop your starting time below so we can see who's mixing when. Photos welcome at every stage. Floury counters, ugly pre-shapes, perfect oven spring, all of it. Let's bake. Perfection is not required. Progress is. Henry ⭐🔥
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4d •
Yeasted vs Poolish vs Sourdough Baguettes. Which One Should You Bake?
There are three ways to make a baguette at home. Yeasted, poolish, and sourdough. They all end up looking like the same loaf, but the journeys are completely different. In this video I walk you through all three. Who each one is for, when it makes sense to pick which path, and the three things that matter more than the recipe itself. If you've ever stood in your kitchen wondering which baguette you should actually start with, this is the breakdown you've been looking for. Pick yours for this weekend's bake-along: 🥖 No starter? Start here. https://pantry.bakinggreatbread.com/recipes/french-bread-baguette?utm_source=skool&utm_medium=community&utm_campaign=recipe-share 🥖 Want bakery flavor without managing a starter? https://pantry.bakinggreatbread.com/recipes/classic-poolish-baguette?utm_source=skool&utm_medium=community&utm_campaign=recipe-share 🥖 Active starter ready to go? https://pantry.bakinggreatbread.com/recipes/sourdough-baguettes?utm_source=skool&utm_medium=community&utm_campaign=recipe-share We've been climbing this staircase for three weeks. Couche on the ciabatta. Poolish on the ciabatta. Now scoring and the roll-out shape on the baguettes. Nothing wasted. Watch the video. Pick your path. Drop questions before you bake. Easier to fix dough than crust. Perfection is not required. Progress is. Come bake with us. — Henry ⭐🔥
6h •
‘Lemon & Poppy Seed Sourdough’
The "Secret Ingredient" for Stronger Sourdough: Why I’m Adding Lemon Juice to My Bake I’ve been experimenting with my sourdough, and I’ve found a game-changer for anyone looking to level up their crust and crumb: Lemon Juice. If you’ve never tried it, here is why adding just 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (per ~450g of flour) is a total pro move: The pH Factor: Standard bread dough typically sits at a pH of 5.0–5.5. By adding 1 tbsp of lemon juice (pH ~3.0) per 450g of flour, we slightly lower the dough's overall pH. This shift has several technical advantages: 1. Gluten Strengthening (The "Tightening" Effect): An acidic environment promotes better protein cross-linking. This is a massive win when working with Fresh Milled Flour. The bran in fresh-milled grain acts like tiny knives that can shear gluten strands; the lower pH "toughens" the gluten, allowing it to withstand the mechanical stress of the bran and maintain a better vertical rise. Think of it as the balance between two "personalities" of your dough: - Elasticity (The Snap-Back): Like a rubber band. This is the dough’s ability to return to its original shape after being stretched. This comes from your gluten strength (strengthened by the lemon juice). - Extensibility (The Stretch): Like taffy. This is how far the dough can be pulled without tearing. This is influenced by the hydration and inclusions like fat and syrups like honey. 2. Enzymatic Control: Lowering the pH helps regulate enzymatic activity (specifically amylase). This prevents the dough from becoming too "slack" or gummy during long fermentations, which is critical when you’re pushing a high hydration and a long cold retard. 3. Enhanced Maillard Reaction & Shelf Life: The increased acidity interacts with sugars to accelerate the Maillard reaction. This results in a deeper, more complex crust color. Furthermore, the lower pH acts as a natural antimicrobial, inhibiting mold growth and extending the bread's freshness. Results: High-tension gluten, superior oven spring, and a "shatter-crisp" crust with a significantly brighter flavor profile.
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