Submitted by

Home Page

More Classic Bread Recipes

Baguette:

Ingredients

Day Before:

• 1 1/2 cups bread flour
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast

Method

In a bowl mix the "day before" contents together with a wooden spoon. The dough will form a stiff ball. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit on the counter overnight or 12 -16 hours. The next morning place this pre fermented mixture into a larger bowl. Add in the water, honey and instant yeast. Mix with a wooden spoon till smooth and wet. Allow to rest for 10 minutes uncovered. Add in the salt and half the flour; mix well. Place dough on a flat, floured surface. Knead for 8 min. while slowly adding (about a tsp. at a time) more flour till dough no longer sticks to your hands and is smooth and elastic. Pour a tablespoon of oil into a clean bowl and place the dough in. Turn over a few times to lightly coat all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for about 1 1/2 hours or till doubled in size. Pour out the dough and cut into 2 equal sizes. Press down with your fingers to remove some of the gas. Cover with plastic wrap again for 15 minutes. Now, start to roll the dough like a jelly roll. Be sure that the roll is tight. Pinch the seam closed and then roll with the palms of your hand to make a log shape about `12 inches long. Sprinkle two lines on a piece of parchment paper with cornmeal. Place the baguette breads onto each line of cornmeal. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 1 hour. Place your baking stone into the middle shelf of the oven. Place a cast iron pan onto the bottom of the oven and turn on the oven to 425 degrees. Just before placing the dough into the oven bring a cup and a half of water to a boil. Remove the plastic wrap and with a sharp knife make 6-7 slashes on top of each loaf. Place onto the hot baking stone and pour the boiling water into the cast iron pan. Close the door and allow to bake for 25 minutes or till golden brown. To see if the baguettes are done. Tap the bottom of the loaf and if it sounds hollow it's baked. Place onto a wire rack and allow to cool.

You can find a recipe for French onion soup on our blog. You just can't beat the taste of freshly baked Baguette straight out of the oven. But, place it on top of a French onion soup and you have something special.