Copycat Bouchon ear-buns

[AlaMoi]

I'm fixing to develop a copycat of the Bouchon "rolls" they serve (warm) with brunch.  looks like:

 

two issues:

1 - the bread itself

2 - the technique

 

at first I thought they did the scissors-snip thing to create the 'outcroppings' - but on closer exam it appears they make individual taper/torpedo shape rolls and overlap / glue them together & let rise . . .

 

note also what looks to be the 'cut surface' . . . like each was cut on diagonal from one long baguette(?) then 'stuck together'

 

the crust on these is not hard-crisp; the softer crisp could be an artifact of baking/holding at humidity?

it's the crumb where I have no good experience.

the crumb is fairly 'fine' - no big holes/etc ala 'good rustic bread'

the texture is not soft/mushy like a typical 'dinner roll' - it's 'firm' - tears easily - stands up to a knife spreading butter&jam

 

my thinking is a well machine kneaded baguette dough - thinking the extra kneading may produce a finer crumb.

 

any ideas / experiences / advice along the line?

[Kerry Beal]

Looks like epis to me - cut with scissors as I recall.

 

King Arthur recipe

 

 

[AlaMoi]

wow - sure does!

thanks for the lead!

[curls]

Thomas Keller’s book “Bouchon Bakery” has a recipe for Demi-epis. That may be exactly what you are looking for @AlaMoi.

[rotuts]

for review purposes :

 

 

[Pete Fred]

All purpose flour: ½ cup + 1 tablespoon + 1¼ teaspoons

 

Oui, chef!  

 

Also, don't forget you can dilute 10⁄11 of a shaftment of fresh yeast in 1⁄32 of a pottle of water if you don't have instant yeast.

[Duvel]

The epi shape is very forgiving. I made it from a plethora of doughs, e.g. this one from left-over pizza dough. 
 

Due to the shape the sharp „ears“ brown faster than the bulky parts, which - at least in my experience - makes epis a bit unevenly crunchy. 

 

 

Edited October 8 by Duvel (log)

[AlaMoi]

2 hours ago, Pete Fred said:

All purpose flour: ½ cup + 1 tablespoon + 1¼ teaspoons

 

it's cute when the publisher insists on including volume measures to by-weight recipes . . .

 

to all - appreciate the tips / info / etc - this project could be a bit easier than I initially thought!

[AlaMoi]

well, first attempt in the books . . . disappointing....

followed Bouchon Bakery book recipe & technique precisely.

I do not have a steam oven....

the bread did not brown - the technique calls for baking at 460'F

imho, this is too hot.  baked in a preheated oven on a preheated stone,,,, it's 'done' before the crust has time to brown.

lack of rise - altho the 'times' were done by a timer, I suspect my kitchen is too cool for the prescribed times.

 

next up: 

reduced baking temp

multiple 'misting' for humidity

extend rising times to make results vs. timer going off . . .

 

[Smithy]

@AlaMoi, opening the oven multiple times for misting may result in more heat loss than you'd want. Another option to consider is placing a pan on another shelf and letting it preheat; when you put the dough in, throw either a cup of water or several ice cubes into the preheated pan. I don't remember whether the water or the ice cubes worked better for me, but they helped with oven spring.

[Tropicalsenior]

They certainly look great except for the color. It looks like you didn't use a bread wash. Here is an excellent article that explains different bread washes that you could use. I usually just brush them with milk but that's only because I'm lazy.

[rotuts]

@Smithy

 

quite some time ago , when I used to bake

 

I used an enamel coated cast iron skillet , ie  heavy mass , and 10 "  

 

in the bottom rack , and threw in a couple of ice cubes.   the cubes evaporated , so the door of the oven did not need to be opened again

 

its was much easier than trying water in a very hot oven , and quicker.