French-Style Baguettes
by sbjonas
This recipe has appeared on the back of our bags of French-Style Flour for years, and we figured it was about time to feature it here on our Web site. French-Style Flour is our preferred flour for making authentic French-style baguettes, so we encourage you to splurge on this unique product.
INGREDIENTS
INSTRUCTIONS
1) In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 1 cup of water, yeast, and salt until thoroughly combined, adding additional water if necessary to make a soft dough. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
2) Knead the dough - by hand, mixer, or bread machine - until smooth. Transfer it to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
3) Fold the dough over onto itself several times. Return it to the bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in bulk again, about 1 1/2 hours.
4) Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface and divide it into three pieces.
5) Stretch the dough pieces into 15" to 18" long loaves, and place them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet; or into a lightly greased baguette pan. Cover the loaves and let them rise for about 1 hour.
6) Preheat the oven to 450?F.
7) Slash the loaves diagonally, and generously spray them with warm water.
8) Bake the baguettes for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they're a deep golden brown. Remove them from the oven, slip them off the pan, and return them to the oven rack. Turn the oven off, and crack the door open about 1". Allow the baguettes to cool fully in the oven.
Adjustments after testing:
1) After the 2nd 1 1/2 hour rise, split the dough into two equal sized balls and let them rise for an hour in separate, greased bowls.
2) I only make two loaves - 3 at 15" long is too thin.
3) 30 minutes before the last rise is complete, I preheat the oven with the top rack in the middle of the oven and the bottom rack 3-5 inches below it. When the preheat starts, I put a rimmed baking sheet on the lower rack to heat it up with the oven.
4) When I put the bread in the oven, I also through a pint (or so) of ice on the preheated, rimmed baking sheet. This creates steam in the oven which creates the lovely crust on the bread.
5) I decreased the baking time to 18 minutes and it was perfect.
NOTES
Nutrition
View line-by-line Nutrition Insights™: Discover which ingredients contribute the calories/sodium/etc.
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| Serving Size: 1 15" to 18" baguett | ||
| Recipe Makes: 3 Servings | ||
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| Calories: 15 | ||
| Calories from Fat: 2 (13%) | ||
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| Amt Per Serving | % DV | |
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| Total Fat 0.2g | 0 % | |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 0 % | |
| Monounsaturated Fat 0.1g | ||
| Polyunsanturated Fat 0g | ||
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0 % | |
| Sodium 5mg | 0 % | |
| Potassium 104.2mg | 3 % | |
| Total Carbohydrate 2g | 1 % | |
| Dietary Fiber 1.1g | 4 % | |
| Sugars, other 0.9g | ||
| Protein 2g | 3 % | |
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Powered by: USDA Nutrition Database Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are derived from linked ingredients (shown at left in colored bullets) and may or may not be complete. Always consult a licensed nutritionist or doctor if you have a nutrition-related medical condition. |
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Calories per serving: 15
Get detailed nutrition information, including item-by-item nutrition insights, so you can see where the calories, carbs, fat, sodium and more come from.
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