SWEET! (Fougasse)

Just so you know, the SWEET! is not a matter of degree, but rather one of pronunciation.
I got this recipe from the Foppish Baker. I've found that it's not all that sweet, but that doesn't stop it from being delicious. As her post on Sweet Fougasse says, it's just as satisfying as a croissant or brioche while remaining vegan, though I find thinking of it as a bread, rather than a pastry, helps.

And that's actually exactly what I had in mind when embarking on this adventure: Bread, not Pastry. However, to this end, I've made only one significant change to the recipe posted by Foppish, and that was omitting the oil and confectioner's sugar on the crust. But it's still tasty to eat on it's own, and it settles nicely in the tummy.

I also baked it a whole day earlier than stated in the recipe. I was worried after pulling the poolish (for the un-savvy, a poolish is a pre-ferment, used to develop both yeast and flavor) out of the fridge, for I had extended "overnight" to encompass seventeen hours. The smell didn't help; while not unpleasant, it was distinctly reminiscent of the early stages of sourdough starter. But this wasn't the Main Reason why I baked early. That title belongs to the fact that it had risen enough to give my pillow competition.

Which brings me to my next point: my yeast continues to live! It's been, oh, I don't know, three months or more since I bought it, and after my last bread turning into a dry cake I thought it had finally perished. But Lo! with only three-quarters of a teaspoon, I got THIS!
Light! Fluffy! And certainly not dry!

And the flavor turned out wonderful, making me wish I'd gone ahead and let it ferment in the fridge the extra night the recipe calls for. Ah well.
THINGS LEARNED:
- Yeast Lives (that was meant to be like "Jesus Lives," or "Frodo Lives," not like Rain Wet, Cat Furry, Dog Barks)
- Have a bit of faith and try the recipe the way it's written the first time through, THEN make your changes
- Speaking of changes, next time . . . eggs! Yeah, I know, that'll make mock-Challah, but I'm still gonna do it!
- Perhaps trying the Neapolitan Bread Foppish and I spoke of? Might be a bit too much of an undertaking . . . (Oh, and be sure to check out the POM Blueberry Fougasse post on which said conversation is commented)
- More ceramic tile to cover a whole rack in the oven. A couple of the dough wedges were hanging of the edges of the current stone. Fortunately, they baked before drooping too much.
- Approximate measurements can work, but I should replace the tablespoon I'm currently unable to locate anyway.