French Baguette

Baking breads is still the experience that gives me immense satisfaction.In some way it makes me feel like I have stolen away some time exclusively for myself, I am practically disconnected from the chaotic surroundings. Obviously considering we are not much of a bread eating family, baking a bread is always felt as an overhead for the amount of time I spend in preparations and making the bread when all it takes is a phone call for us to get a fresh baked bread to be delivered at home. This is probably the reason I feel that it is an activity that I do for personal satisfaction exclusively.
One such bread on my mind has been the french baguette which I love to eat with noodles or pastas as a side dish or even for toasts or open faced sandwiches.

I had bookmarked the recipe for a long time and got around making it only recently. It is definitely worth a try. Off late with BM running interesting themes, it only justifies to deliver out of your comfort zones like everyone else around..









Ingredients

2 cups bread flour/ plain flour (APF/ Wheat flour)
2 1/4 tspn instant dry yeast
2 tspn honey
1 tspn salt
1 tbsp milk for brushing
Oil to brush the container
3 to 4 ice cubes
Method
1) In a large vessel, add the flour, honey , yeast and mix well.
2) Add about 1/2 a cup of warm water, little at a time to bring the flour together
3) Gradually rub in the salt and form a firm sticky dough. If required add more water a tspn at a time. Knead the dough until it is firm and elastic
4) Cover the dough and keep it aside for 30 min.
5) Preheat the oven at around 210c for 5 min before baking
6) When the dough has risen, knead it again. Start rolling it out length wise and keep folding it over. While rolling the dough again lenght wise, use both hands and move them in opposite directions to give a wriggled effect (like you do to a cloth to squeeze out water but gently)
7) Using a sharp knife, cut out cross sections.
8) Brush the top with milk
9) Place the bread on a baking sheet and slide it in the middle rack of the oven along with ice cubes in a oven proof dish on the bottom rack. Cover the glass door over with towel before doing this. Quickly close the oven and bake for 15 min  
10) Remove and let it cool down completely.






Comments

Unknown said…
Wow that is a quick baguette!!! do u need to rest it only for 30 minutes? Is that enough?
Sowmya

Ongoing Event - CWF - Whole Wheat Flour
Ongoing Event - Let's Party - Eggless Bakes and Treats
Soumya, let it rest until it doubles in size, in my case 30-35 min were sufficient, bcoz it is pretty hot out here
Anonymous said…
I generally keep it on top of the fridge to rise. It rises beautifully. The bread looks beautiful.
Srivalli said…
I guess I need to muster more courage to bake these breads..I have limited myself to simple breads..:)..looks great..
Jayashree said…
Wow...Pradnya....this looks seriously good. Bookmarked!
Priya Suresh said…
Baguette is one of the staple food here,we get them in each and every corner of the street, you have done prefectly Pradnya.
Rajani S said…
You bake such nice soft bread and I bake brick!

Oh I am feeling so jealous now :)))
Looks very nice and soft...baked perfectly.
Chef Mireille said…
I have baked French bread before - but I use the traditional method of 2 risings - this is a unique recipe for French bread for me
Padmajha said…
I am yet to bake breads. This one sounds very simple and easy.Bookmarked :)
Unknown said…
Perfectly baked and soft looking baguette I like to have a slice with my soup hummm yummm..

Popular Posts