Fall is apple season, and we love to drink freshly pressed apple cider as soon as we can get our hands on it. As we were creating the menu for our visit to Granor Farm, the idea of swapping the water in a typical dough recipe for fresh apple cider seemed like an interesting idea.
We made a test batch at home to see how it would turn out, and it was incredible. We both expected that it would taste like apples, and be sweet, but it was neither. The taste was rich, extra buttery tasting, and the crumb was even more tender and moist than usual. Not a hint of apple, but there was a certain something that was extra delicious, but almost indescribable. It was as if all of the flavors and qualities that you would expect in a good baguette had the volume turned up. Everything was just "more."
The results were even more impressive in the whole wheat blend that we made. The cider helped give the whole wheat that extra "oomph" to make it get a surprisingly airy, moist crumb. While it is still apple season, and you can still get fresh cider or apples, give it a try. We recommend serving it with local cheeses and charcuterie. Enjoy!
Recipe: Apple Cider Baguettes
500g Unbleached White Bread Flour -or-
300g Unbleached White Bread Flour + 200g Whole Wheat Bread Flour
350g Fresh Apple Cider
10g Sea Salt
2g Yeast
| MIX | Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly. Add water to dry mixture and mix until all of the flour is saturated. |
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| RISE |
Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Allow dough |
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| FORM | Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Divide dough into four portions and form into baguettes. Allow to rise covered for at least an hour. Before baking, you can “twist” the ends of the loaves to give them a characteristic baguette point. When ready to bake, roll the formed loaf onto the peel dusted with bran. Score the loaf with three angled slashes using a sharp knife or razor. |
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| BAKE | Slide loaf off peel into the Fourneau and close hatch. Cook with hatch closed for 15 minutes. Remove hatch and cook with hatch off for an additional 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. |
