Baguettes

These baguettes are simple and fast. I hadn't planned on making bread today, so I didn't prepare a sponge ahead. The bread isn't as flavourful as ones that have the extra fermentation time, but they still make nice, crusty loaves to serve in a hurry.

You Will Need:

2 teaspoons granulated dry (not instant) yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon salt

2 cups warm water

5-6 cups bread flour

In the warm water, proof the yeast with the sugar. Add the salt and three cups of the flour, mixing well. Remove dough to a floured surface and continue adding flour until dough is workable. It can be rather wet and slack.

Place dough in a greased bowl and let rise 1 hour. Remove to floured surface, gently de-gas and fold in envelope fashion once lengthwise and once vertically. Return to greased bowl, cover and let rise another hour. Repeat folding. Let rise one additional half hour. Remove to surface, de-gas and cover. Let rest fifteen minutes.

Lightly toss cornmeal on a baking sheet. Divide dough into two pieces and form into baguettes. Place on sheet and cover. Let rise until doubled.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. for at least forty minutes prior to baking. If creating steam with a pan, set it in the bottom of the oven as it heats. Slash loaves before baking and create steam in oven (check your owner's manual before doing this if it is your first time). Load the loaves and bake 10 minutes. Carefully open the oven from the side (in case of steam blasts) and rotate the sheet. Bake another ten to fifteen minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 200 degrees F. Or the loaves are dark and sound hollow. Cool completely on a rack before slicing.

This bread does not last well beyond a day, but it freezes beautifully when wrapped in waxed paper and then plastic wrap.