Baking Classics
The Technique
Rustic Bâtards
Baguettes can be a bit of a challenge to prepare in a home kitchen as it’s difficult to a achieve that ultra crisp crust without the misting elements of a commercial oven plus the length of a traditional loaf may not necessarily fit into the standard. The next best bread style to consider when this particular shape is desired would most certainly be a bâtard or a torpedo loaf. After mulling the procedures that would be needed in order to achieve the results one would expect once the bread was baked, I developed a method that blends the ease of the five-minute yeast bread technique & merged it with a few southern staples to produce two quality bâtards that can be used for a variety of entertaining applications & weeknight meal solutions. Two inverted cast iron skillets & a deep pan of water & ice are utilized to help create the crisp bread surface in place of the Dutch oven in the original procedure. Be certain to look to the Rustic Country Boule & The Guide To Making Handcrafted Bread for additional pointers & advice before beginning.
Rustic Bâtards
2 {15-oz} loaves
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 kosher salt
1/2 tsp dry active yeast
1 3/4 cup water
Whisk together the flour, the salt & the yeast. Add the water & stir until a shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap & set aside on the counter top for 12 to 18 hours.
Position one rack on the lowest position in the oven. Place a 13 x 9-inch baking pan filled 2/3 full with water on the rack. Position a second rack directly above it. Place two inverted cast iron skillets directly on the rack. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Set the timer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, turn the dough out onto a heavily floured surface. Divide the dough in half & form each piece into a ball. Working with one piece of dough at a time, flatten the dough into a 10-inch oval shape pressing out any excessive bubbles. Fold the top piece of the dough to the center & press it down. Fold the bottom piece to the center & press it down while creating a seam where the two portions of dough meet. Pinch the dough to seal the seam. Flip the shaped dough over. Starting in the center, gently rock it back & forth to the outer edges to create a 12 to 13-inch bâtard in length. Once at each end, pinch them to create well defined points. Place the shaped dough on one side of a half sheet pan. Repeat the procedure with the remaining piece of dough. Slash the dough surface using a sharp paring knife several times down the length of the shape to create a decorative pattern. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap until the timer signals.
Place the half sheet pan in the oven directly over the inverted cast iron skillets. Add 1/2 cup ice to the pan of water. Quickly close the oven door. Bake 15 minutes. Rotate the half sheet pan & add 1/2 cup ice cubes to the pan of water. Quickly close the oven door. Bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped. Remove the bread from oven. Cool completely before slicing.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{testing notes}
How To Make Rustic Bâtards
Rustic Bâtards pair perfectly with a variety of soups such as Farro Minestrone, Fresh Herb Lentil Soup, Classic Tomato Soup & Lemon-Orzo Chicken Soup for quality, family meals but you should also look to this bread shape to fill in for a host of upcoming spring entertaining needs as they make wonderful crostini toasts when thinly sliced. Make the bread now, cut it into slices & tuck away in zip top bags in the freezer. The only preparations that will be needed is to toast them as I have several ideas you’ll want to use them for in a few weeks.
The Technique
A few pieces of equipment will be needed in order to complete the task. Read through the recipe instructions before beginning. Here’s what you should know.
No. 1
The Ingredients
The Flour, The Salt, The Yeast & The Water
Most home cooks have all purpose flour in the cupboard & it works beautifully when preparing these bread loaves.
Salt offers flavor to bread doughs. However, salt can kill yeast so as long as it is dispersed into the flour before the water is added as in this application, it will be fine.
Dry active yeast can be purchased in 1/4-ounce packets or in small jars. I use both when preparing bread recipes, generally based on what my store has in stock at the time. If purchasing a jar of yeast, store it in the refrigerator after opening. Just be mindful of the expiration date so you don’t find yourself in a jam. You’ll find that 2 1/4 teaspoons is the equivalent to 1 envelope of active dry yeast. This application calls for only a 1/2 teaspoon of yeast so be mindful that it’s not an entire envelope.
When preparing the starter, the water need not be warm contrary to a procedure that should be followed when preparing more traditional bread doughs.
No. 2
The Starter
Begin by whisking together the flour, the salt & the yeast in a large glass bowl. Just be certain to disperse the yeast & salt throughout the mixture.
2a
Add the water.
2b
Stir the mixture until a shaggy dough forms. Halfway through blending, switch from using a whisk & finish the task with a rubber spatula.
2c
When the task is complete, it should look like a rudimentary dough mass. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap & set aside on the counter top for 12 to 18 hours.
2d
The stand time is what will give the dough a tangy flavor. The bowl of ingredients you started with 12 plus hours earlier will look more like a sourdough sponge. It will be level in the bowl but bubbly & lively, maybe even a touch too soft. This is normal.
No. 3
The Shaping
This particular dough is just a bit stickier & softer than the Rustic Country Boule & it is the shape that sets it apart from other bread styles. Be certain to heavily flour the work surface & dust the dough heavily as needed while forming & shaping it.
3a
Divide the dough in half using a bench scraper. Each piece should weigh approximately 15 ounces.
3b
Shape each piece of dough into a ball. Cover one piece with plastic wrap while working with the other.
3c
Flatten the dough into a 10-inch oval shape. Fold the top piece of the dough to the center & press it down.
3d
Fold the bottom piece to the center & press it down while creating a seam where the two portions of dough meet.
3e
Pinch the dough to seal the seam.
3f
Flip the shaped dough over. Starting in the center, gently rock it back & forth to the outer edges to create a 12 to 13-inch bâtard in length. Once at each end, pinch them to create well defined points. Place the shaped dough on one side of a half sheet pan. Repeat the procedure with the remaining piece of dough. Slash the dough surface using a sharp paring knife several times down the length of the shape to create a decorative pattern. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap until the timer signals.
No. 4
The Baking
Surfaces that retain heat well create signature crisp exteriors of bread when coupled with steam. To replicate this process at home, two inverted cast iron skillets that the pan of dough will rest on during baking plus a deep pan of water that are given ample time to preheat in a hot oven work beautifully. Once both elements are preheated & the dough is added, a little ice is tossed into the water & the oven door is closed quickly which creates the steam needed to help form the crusty exterior of the bread. This technique is used twice during the baking process.
Once the timer signals, remove the plastic wrap. Place the half sheet pan in the oven directly over the inverted cast iron skillets. Add 1/2 cup ice to the pan of water. Quickly close the oven door. Bake 15 minutes. Rotate the half sheet pan & add 1/2 cup ice cubes to the pan of water. Quickly close the oven door. Bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
No. 5
The Rustic Bâtards
Remove the bread from oven. Cool completely before slicing. Serve the bread with soup, pasta or accompany slices with appetizers.
The Tune
“Little Bitty Pretty One” Frankie Lymon
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