Baguette

[Russell]

I have this baking cook book by Cook's Illustrated about baking. In it there is a recipe for a french baguette. i followed it exactly and everything, but when it came out of the oven, it tasted a little too much like yeast, i made it again with a little less yeast but it still had the flavor. It isnt the yeast i was using because i just baught it that day, and i nhad used it for hot pretzels earlier with my little brother. Any suggestions why?

 

[Alix]

Can you post the recipe? Maybe some of the bakers in the crowd will be able to analyze it and give you an explanation.

 

[Russell]

recipe

for the sponge

1/8 teaspoon instant yeast
3/4 cup warm water
6 ounces lower protien flour (such as gold meadl or pillsbury)

for the dough

1/2 tsp instant yeast
1/2 cup water (at 75 degrees f)
10 ounces lower protein flower
1 tsp salt

for the glaze
1 large egg white
1 tbsp water

 

[jasonr]

Well one strange thing about your recipe is that it asks specifically for a low protein flour. The baguette recipes I have seen asked specifically for bread flour, which is high protein. I can't see why you would use a low protein flour for a baguette, or for any bread, for that matter. I don't know how, if at all, this connects to the yeasty flavor, but it's something to consider. Perhaps you should get a different recipe.

As for instant yeast, if you intend to substitute active dry, the correct ratio is 3 AD for 2 instant. (You do the math) However, I have worked with instant yeast, and I don't believe this is likely to be your problem. May I ask, how much are you proofing your bread? If you allow it to rise too much, the flavor will definitely be affected.