Baguettes

Baquettes

Baguettes are not hard to make they just require time. You make the starter the night before and the next day you add the starter to the rest and 6 hours later you have the most tasty baguettes ever.

Just mixing the starter

Starter

• 1/2 cup cool water
• 1 cup bread flour
• 1/16 teaspoon instant yeast

Sift flour add yeast mix. Add water. Mix together. Cover with plastic wrap. Set on counter till the next day. 

Starter Mixed

Starter the next day ready to be added to the Dough mix

Now that your starter is happy.

Dough

• 3 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 +  2 teaspoons cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Mixed dough and starter

Sift flour, add all ingredients. Mix together. Add liquid and the starter . Mix until you have a dough that has a bit of a rough surface but still smooth. 

Cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel and let sit for 1 hour. After 1 hour gently poke the dough to deflate it. Turn it over and recover it. After another hour has passed do the same thing. At the 3 hour mark turn the dough out onto a lightly greased surface and cut into 3 pieces. Slightly flatten each one into a rectangle and let sit for 15 minutes. 

Cut into 3's

Sliced and ready for the oven

.After the 15 minutes take each piece and fold it in on itself like you are rolling a paper tube pinch the seams together and roll out into a 16 inch long log and lay down on a floured tea cloth. Let sit for 90 minutes and gently roll each one off onto a  greased cookie sheet. Seam side down. Using a razor blade slice each loaf 3 times in a long crossing pattern.

Remember to preheat your oven to 450 degrees before the 90 minutes are up. 

After you have sliced the dough use cold or hot water (I use ice water) and gently brush them with the water. Bake them for 25 minutes or until they are golden brown.

Fresh baguettes with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and seasonings