Dragon Tail Baguettes

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Dragon Tail Baguettes

September 8, 2011 by Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

Dragon tail baguettes! How cool are these!

This new shape comes from Susan at Wild Yeast, who very kindly posted these video instructions…

. . . . .

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!

Posted in Recipes | Tagged dinner party loaves, dragon tail baguette, sourdough baguette, Wild Yeast Blog | 58 Comments

58 Responses

on September 8, 2011 at 12:13 am theonlycin

Oh WOW! I am bowled over and suitably impressed, Celia!
- on September 8, 2011 at 5:10 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  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!
on September 8, 2011 at 12:46 am Kate

It looks so impressive! And great for sharing with friends!
- on September 8, 2011 at 5:11 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Kate, it really did make the loaves very easy to divvy up!
on September 8, 2011 at 1:06 am Joanna

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 ?
- on September 8, 2011 at 5:12 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  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… :)
on September 8, 2011 at 1:18 am Abby

Oh wow, those look so cool! Will have to check out the video when I get home tonight…….
- on September 8, 2011 at 5:12 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Abby, they’re so much fun – I think the kids will love them! :)
on September 8, 2011 at 1:45 am sallybr

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!
- on September 8, 2011 at 5:13 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Sally, they’re remarkably easy loaves with big impact, you should definitely make some soon! :)
on September 8, 2011 at 2:11 am aleida

simply beautiful!
- on September 8, 2011 at 5:13 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Aleida! :)
  
  PS. I’ve amended your link, as it’s still directing to your old WP site.
on September 8, 2011 at 4:30 am Sally

I have to try to make one of these. Inspiring indeed.
- on September 8, 2011 at 5:18 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Sally, they’re great fun to make too! Clever Susan! :)
on September 8, 2011 at 4:46 am heidi

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.
- on September 8, 2011 at 5:19 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  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?
  - on September 8, 2011 at 9:35 am heidi
    
    -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.
on September 8, 2011 at 6:48 am Melanie

Those are way cool!! Thank you so much for sharing. What is it that you sprinkled on your dough above? Is it just flour?
- on September 8, 2011 at 7:21 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  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. :)
on September 8, 2011 at 7:48 am bagnidilucca

It looks good enough to eat.
- on September 9, 2011 at 7:00 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Deb, it was! Thank you! :)
on September 8, 2011 at 7:55 am C

They look great. Haven’t tried baguettes yet, but with both you and Joanna posting about them it can’t be long…
- on September 9, 2011 at 7:14 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  C, they’re great fun to make! Epi are particularly easy, as were these, in some ways they’re easier than a traditional baguette!
on September 8, 2011 at 8:15 am InTolerantChef

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!
- on September 9, 2011 at 7:15 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  I wonder how he baked it!! A metre long loaf, that’s quite an achievement! :)
on September 8, 2011 at 9:09 am cityhippyfarmgirl

They are great dinner party pieces aren’t they!
- on September 9, 2011 at 7:15 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Yes, they really are!
on September 8, 2011 at 9:12 am Amanda

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.
- on September 9, 2011 at 7:19 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  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/
on September 8, 2011 at 9:34 am teawithhazel

how cool are these..do you have a wide oven celia?..they look too long to fit into a standard sized one..
- on September 9, 2011 at 7:19 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  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! :)
on September 8, 2011 at 11:00 am ceciliag

My sour dough starter is almost ready then i can start to play with your recipes.. this looks awesome!! c
- on September 9, 2011 at 7:20 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Exciting times, C, hope you have fun with your new starter!
on September 8, 2011 at 1:09 pm spiceandmore

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….?!
- on September 9, 2011 at 7:21 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Well, I think I could use this technique to make bready puffs of steam.. ;-)
on September 8, 2011 at 1:30 pm Dredgemeister's missus

I don’t think I could eat it . Too beautiful
- on September 9, 2011 at 7:21 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Nah, they were delicious. I should have sent some down, but we ended up wolfing it all! :)
on September 8, 2011 at 4:13 pm Tandy

how absolutely beautiful!
- on September 9, 2011 at 7:21 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Tandy! :)
on September 8, 2011 at 7:28 pm Anna

You’re going to be able to write a book with all of your beautiful breads!!
- on September 9, 2011 at 12:58 am Marilyn
  
  I would so buy that book!
  
  Maz.
  - on September 9, 2011 at 7:22 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
    
    Anna, Maz, thank you! It’s always fun to play with new shapes! :)
on September 8, 2011 at 8:18 pm Claire @ Claire K Creations

Yet another loaf that looks like it was made in a gourmet bakery. Well done Celia!
- on September 9, 2011 at 7:22 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Claire, thank you, this one was particularly good eating too!
on September 9, 2011 at 7:42 am Tony Inga

As always beautiful inspiring bread!

Tony
- on September 9, 2011 at 8:32 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Hi Tony! How nice to see you, thanks for stopping by! :)
on September 9, 2011 at 9:31 am Mrs Bok

OH WOW that looks gorgeous! Gotta make them for dragon boat festival…!
- on September 9, 2011 at 6:35 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Mrs Bok, they’d be perfect for that! :)
on September 9, 2011 at 4:22 pm sonsothunder

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
- on September 9, 2011 at 6:37 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  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… :)
on September 9, 2011 at 4:38 pm Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

That is so clever using scissors! It looks so more complicated than it is :)
- on September 9, 2011 at 6:35 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Shhh…don’t tell anyone how easy it is! Oh hang on, I just did.. ;-)
on September 12, 2011 at 10:35 pm Platanos, Mangoes and Me!

You make everything look so easy. They look wonderful.
- on September 13, 2011 at 12:20 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  I can’t take the credit! Susan’s instructions were great! :)
on September 13, 2011 at 6:36 pm Choclette

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.
- on September 13, 2011 at 7:14 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  It’s all good fun, Choc. I’m grateful to have all of you to share the excitement with! :)
on September 15, 2011 at 5:10 am thecompletecookbook

How did I miss this magnificent post – beautifully done Celia.
Have a super day.
:-) Mandy
- on September 15, 2011 at 6:00 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Mandy! Hope you’re having a good day too! :)