I've tried to make baguettes twice. The first time using only sourdough starter as Emilie Raffa's Artisan Sourdough Made Simple: A Beginner's Guide to Delicious Handcrafted Bread with Minimal Kneading asks of you. The second time using Tartine by Chad Robertson. I bought both books plus a 3rd for myself for my birthday. I've made most of the recipes in Raffa's. I just started with Tartine. Tartine is hard because clearly Robertson loves bread. Clearly he's brilliant at it. I think he wrote it for other experts because lawd are there hella explanations in the middle of the recipe. He also sends you to other places in the book at not so helpful times: "fold it like step 4 on page 54 then return to the recipe then rotate it like step 6 on page 56..."
SIR! My ADHD and I need bullet points AT LEAST. So last night, because I assumed that my baguettes would need a 12-18 hour rise like Raffa's. Nah, 2-3 hours and then 30 minutes then another 2-3 hours. Sooo that's why Zoe got more leverage out of my unmade bed last night than I did.
My partner gifted me a red Kitchen Aid stand mixer when I first started baking with sourdough starter. It was smart, because now I make emergency phone calls that sound like, "Do you want fresh bread???"
I finished the last loaf of baguette at 5am. This picture us the one I sent my Italian bff this morning.
All this practice means I'm making hella bread so I bake and give away. Mostly to my neighbors and family. Often via North Beacon Hill Free Bakery that I started. I just wanted to practice making bread and feeding people. It's working out nicely!
While it's not a baguette yet, it's a long loaf of delicious bread so I'm happy.
Okay YUM!!!