Hi Roy,

many thanks for your prompt reply to my query.

I have been using a strong Bakers flour recently or at least, since I
stopped using a prepared bread mix (Lauke) and I have been experimenting
with different recipes which still haven't even come close. (It's a good
thing that flour is really inexpensive here, as quite a few batches have
gone straight into the garbage tin.)

I certainly will follow your instructions to the letter, as the proving
times and using a "damp" cloth
are a great deal different to what I have have doing.

The use of steam sounds really promising...with my limited equipment, I
guess I'll have to see what sort of steam I can generate using a bowl of
water in the bottom of the electric oven ?.

Thanks agin for your advice,
regards Ray




"Roy Basan" > wrote in message
om...
> "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