Banh Mi (Bread Only)

Directions

1. Create a yeast activating mixture by mixing together the warm water, half of the sugar, and a tablespoon of the total bread flour. Stir the yeast in and set aside for 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 400F and set a casserole or roasting pan on the bottom rack. This will be filled with boiling water later.
3. In a stand mixer bowl, whisk the salt, flour, and rest of the sugar. Then add in the egg, room temp water, vinegar, and yeast mixture. Mix using a dough hook until just combined.
4. Once the dough has roughly come together, pour in the 10 grams of oil. The dough will now be kneaded in 3 stages, with rest intervals between each kneading session to allow the gluten to develop. While resting, I like to throw in a damp paper towel and cover with a lid or plate so the dough does not dry out.
5. First kneading session, turn the mixer to power level 4 (Kitchen-Aid) for 3 minutes, and allow to rest for 2 minutes.
6. Second kneading session, power level 8 for 6 minutes. Allow to rest for 3 minutes.
7. Final kneading session, power level 8 for 6 minutes. Once done, check for gluten by using the window pane test. If not glutinous enough, continue to knead one minute at a time.
8. Once done, take the dough out with lightly oiled hands and shape into a ball. Place on a lightly oiled work surface and cover with the mixing bowl. Allow to prove for 15 minutes at about 70F.
9. After the first prove, weigh the dough and split/shape into 4 equal balls. Keep your hands lightly oiled while doing so. Place under the mixing bowl again to prove for another 10 minutes.
10. After proving, shape the dough into banh mi. You will need to refer to videos to more easily understand how to do this, but the idea is to flatten the dough into a long trapezoid, and roll from the short side to the longer side, so the dough forms a sort of ellipse.
11. Place the shaped dough onto a lightly oiled baguette pan to prove. Cover with a predampened clean kitchen towel, or spray water onto the towel. Prove the dough in a warm place, such as near the oven exhaust, for 40 minutes. Mist the towel as you see fit, making sure the dough doesn’t form a dry crust.
12. Once proving is done, mist the dough with a fine mist spray bottle and cold water, and score the dough once down its entire length.
13. Quickly pour boiling water into the tray in the oven and place the dough inside the oven. Bake for 7 minutes at 400F.
14. After 7 minutes, lower the oven temp to 365F, and take the loaves out to give them another quick misting before returning them to the oven. Bake for another 12 minutes.
15. After 12 minutes, take the tray of water out carefully and allow to bake for a final 6-8 minutes until a deep golden brown.