Dragon tail baguettes! How cool are these!
This new shape comes from Susan at Wild Yeast, who very kindly posted these video instructions…
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I began with my shaped dough formula:
- 300g active sourdough starter (fed at a ratio of one cup water to one cup flour)
- 580g cold water
- 500g bakers/bread flour
- 500g Semola Rimacinata di Grano Duro (remilled durum wheat semolina flour)
- 18g fine sea salt
Note: don’t be tempted to use fine or coarse semolina instead of remilled semolina (durum wheat) flour – the former is too coarse and won’t absorb enough water, and you’ll end up with a soggy mess. If you can’t find the rimacinata, you might want to substitute more bread flour in its place.
The proven dough was shaped into baguettes and allowed to prove a second time. Just before baking, they were snipped with kitchen scissors and folded over as shown in Susan’s video clip above…
The finished loaves are crunchy and perfect for sharing. This epi variation makes a wonderful dinner party bread and a great conversation starter!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Oh WOW! I am bowled over and suitably impressed, Celia!
Cindy, thank you, but all the credit must go to Susan – I never would have thought to make these! I’m inspired now – will make up another batch of dough and see if the snipping and folding technique can lead to any other interesting shapes!
It looks so impressive! And great for sharing with friends!
Kate, it really did make the loaves very easy to divvy up!
Very pretty, I saw this post on Susan’s blog and thought I must make those, haven’t got round to it yet. It solves the slashing problem neatly doesn’t it ?
I actually didn’t see these on her blog – I stumbled across it when I was watching Thomas videos on youtube. No idea how that happened now… :)
Oh wow, those look so cool! Will have to check out the video when I get home tonight…….
Abby, they’re so much fun – I think the kids will love them! :)
Another one here who saved that recipe ever since I saw it at Susan’s site – maybe Joanna and I should have a race, see who goes first for it? ;-)
I am putting all my money on her!
Sally, they’re remarkably easy loaves with big impact, you should definitely make some soon! :)
simply beautiful!
Thanks Aleida! :)
PS. I’ve amended your link, as it’s still directing to your old WP site.
I have to try to make one of these. Inspiring indeed.
Sally, they’re great fun to make too! Clever Susan! :)
I’ve made the epi but never saw this variation before.
I like it very much.
Perhaps my next baguettes will look like this.
Thanks for the enlightenment, Celia.
Heidi, you’re the queen of bread shaping, I’m wondering if this snip and fold technique can be used to make other shapes? Maybe butterflies?
-butterflies would work- what about a feathered leafy design?
The only problem I can see is that the thinner the dough- the crustier it will get- it may turn out like cracker- total crunch.
Those are way cool!! Thank you so much for sharing. What is it that you sprinkled on your dough above? Is it just flour?
Melanie, the loaves are dusted with rye flour – or more precisely, the tea towels that they’ve been proved on were heavily dusted with rye flour. :)
It looks good enough to eat.
Deb, it was! Thank you! :)
They look great. Haven’t tried baguettes yet, but with both you and Joanna posting about them it can’t be long…
C, they’re great fun to make! Epi are particularly easy, as were these, in some ways they’re easier than a traditional baguette!
These are so cool! Can you make one with a dragons head at the top as well, so you get the full effect? We had an Australilan themed party once, and got the baker to shape a metre long loaf into a crocodile that looked a bit like this- I always wondered how he managed it!
I wonder how he baked it!! A metre long loaf, that’s quite an achievement! :)
They are great dinner party pieces aren’t they!
Yes, they really are!
Oh wow, these look brilliant Celia.
Do you use baguette trays to shape your loaves, or do it by hand. I’m not sure I could get such an even shape, myself.
Amanda, I shape them all by hand, and they tend to vary a bit depending on how sticky the dough is and frankly what my mood is like on a particular day!
Joanna wrote a great post about shaping baguettes here:
http://zebbakes.com/2010/07/10/french-bread/
how cool are these..do you have a wide oven celia?..they look too long to fit into a standard sized one..
Jane, it’s a 90cm Smeg, so yes, very wide for a domestic oven. I never thought about baking it in a smaller one, sorry! :)
My sour dough starter is almost ready then i can start to play with your recipes.. this looks awesome!! c
Exciting times, C, hope you have fun with your new starter!
Love the shape!
I think you could make a train using this technique…seeing how you are watching Thomas videos on utube it could be most appropriate….?!
Well, I think I could use this technique to make bready puffs of steam.. ;-)
I don’t think I could eat it . Too beautiful
Nah, they were delicious. I should have sent some down, but we ended up wolfing it all! :)
how absolutely beautiful!
Thanks Tandy! :)
You’re going to be able to write a book with all of your beautiful breads!!
I would so buy that book!
Maz.
Anna, Maz, thank you! It’s always fun to play with new shapes! :)
Yet another loaf that looks like it was made in a gourmet bakery. Well done Celia!
Claire, thank you, this one was particularly good eating too!
As always beautiful inspiring bread!
Tony
Hi Tony! How nice to see you, thanks for stopping by! :)
OH WOW that looks gorgeous! Gotta make them for dragon boat festival…!
Mrs Bok, they’d be perfect for that! :)
Oh, Wow. very nice technique … I tried my first Soft Pretzels today…with my Sourdough Starter. Actually, I started it last night and “Bubbly Child” my sourdough starter decided to be super slow in rising for a change. This morning, as I found the top of the risen ball of dough a little dry, which required more intense kneading, and then after 4 attempts of twisting a presentable looking pretzel form, only to realize it is an art form I haven’t yet developed, I wound up twisting the whole remaining loaf into ONE BIG Pretzel, dropping it into the Soda Boil Bath, threw it into the oven…and amazingly…it was the only one out of the 5 that turned out looking like a pretzel…it’s still over in the bread box, as I had the 4 ugly small ones with Honey for breakfast…they didn’t look good.. but…Oh Yeah… I was lazy man till noon…
God Bless You
paul
Paul, thanks for stopping by! That’s too funny – I can imagine a giant pretzel coming out of the soda bath! Bet they tasted amazing… :)
That is so clever using scissors! It looks so more complicated than it is :)
Shhh…don’t tell anyone how easy it is! Oh hang on, I just did.. ;-)
You make everything look so easy. They look wonderful.
I can’t take the credit! Susan’s instructions were great! :)
Fantastic bread Celia – as you say this would be fantastic for serving at a dinner party also for a bring and share event. You do make the most fabulous things.
It’s all good fun, Choc. I’m grateful to have all of you to share the excitement with! :)
How did I miss this magnificent post – beautifully done Celia.
Have a super day.
:-) Mandy
Thanks Mandy! Hope you’re having a good day too! :)