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Roy Basan
 
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Default Re French Breadsticks

"ray" > wrote in message >...
> Hoping someone can help me with this type of bread.
>
> The best that I have tasted have come from Vietnamese Bakeries.. I assume
> that the occupation by the French had a large influence on breadmaking
> generally.
>
> I use a breadmaker to make the dough and then bake the breadsticks or rolls
> in the oven @ 220 C.
>
> My problem is that I cannot get a thin crispy crust like the Vietnamese can.
>
> Where am I going wrong ? Is there something wrong with the recipe that I am
> using?
>
> 9 ml dried yeast
> 300 ml water
> 450 g flour
> 5ml salt
> 5 ml sugar
> 15 ml lard
>
>
> Hoping someone can help
> regards Ray (Victoria, Australia)


Ray, As I have have stayed in Australia for some time.
I am also familiar with these Vietanmese style french breads and
indeed they have the crispy crust; some are thick and others are thin
( more similar to a crispy vienna bread and rolls) .
They usually use a breadmaking flour.So in your case as you live in
Victoria Australia look for white bakers flour commonly manufactured
by Allied mills, Weston milling etc.
As far as I know the recipe for such french bread adaptation ,its
like this :
I used the metric weights to be accurate.
Flour 500 grams
salt 8- 10 grams
instant dry yeast 10 grams
water 300-325 grams
lard/shortening 10-15 grams
sugar 10 grams
In commercial setting they usually add a bread improver usually from
5- 10 grams for that flour amount and if that is the case they usually
omit the sugar.
If they are using such additive the dough is mixed and then bulk
fermented for 15-20 minutes.Scaled into sizes and rounded. Let it rest
for 15 minutes and then then molded into sticks.
However if you do not have such additive( which BTW is sold in well
known shops there such as Coles, Bi-Lo and Safeway as bread improver)
you cans still do it anyway.
Prepare your ingredients and equipment follow the breadmaking
procedures.
As I am not breadmachine users I am just giving here the system done
in normal procedure with mixer( or you can even knead the dough by
hand for about 20 minutes).
With your home mixer The dough is just mixed properly(passsed window
pane test) , fermented well(an hour and 15 minutes) ,punched down and
folded and then let rise again( up to 45 minutes).
It is then scaled into units, rounded, give it a 10-15 minute rest
covered with damp cloth.
It is then molded into french sticks and proofed ( in commercial scale
in fluted french stick pans usually an hour) .It is slashed then bake
with lots of STEAM at least 230 degrees C for 15 minutes.The heat is
reduced when the bread starts to gain colour the steam in the oven is
vented out and baked until done( about 15 minutes more to dry it
out).This is the commercial oven setting.
The timing here is just indicative as done in institutional setting.
You may have to adjust it to fit your baking conditions and equipment.
Good Luck!
Roy