BAGUETTE PAN BAGUETTES

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The First Goal Of Every Budding Artisan Bread-Baker Is A Crusty, Flavorful Baguette. Let This Recipe Be The Starting Point On A Journey That May Last For Quite A Long Time, The "Perfect" Baguette Is A Goal Pursued By Even Experienced Bakers. Just Remember The Pleasure Is In The Journey, Not The Destination! This Recipe Will Yield Excellent Flavor And Texture Every Time You Experiment.

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Ingredients

  • Poolish {Starter}:
  • 1 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour {6.5oz/184g}
  • 3/4 cup cool water {60°F} {6oz/170g}
  • 1 pinch of instant yeast
  • Dough:
  • 2 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour {10.5oz/298g}
  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • All of the poolish
  • 3/4 cup cool water {60°F} {6oz/170g}

Preparation

Step 1

POOLISH:
Combine flour, water and yeast; mix until well-blended. Let the poolish rise, covered, at cool room temperature 12-24 hours. It should dome slightly on top, and look aerated and bubbly. Try to catch it before it starts to fall, as it will be at its optimum flavor and vigor when it's at its highest point.

BREAD MACHINE METHOD:
Place flour, yeast and salt in the bucket of your bread machine. Pour some of the water around the edges of the poolish in its container to loosen it. Pour the poolish and water onto the flour. Program the machine for dough and press Start. Check the dough after about 10 minutes of kneading; add more flour or water if needed to create a sticky dough.

1> Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and leave it in there, Cover and let dough rise 2 hours, folding it over after the first hour {or more frequently, if the dough is very slack or wet; this folding helps strengthen the gluten}

2> Divide dough into 3 pieces and gently pre-form it into rough logs. Let rest 20 minutes, and then shape into baguettes. Proof the baguettes, covered, on your baguette pan until they're puffy looking, 30-40 minutes.

3> Preheat oven {and your baking stone, if you have one} to 500°F. Just before putting the loaves into the oven, slash the tops several times. Hold your knife at a 45° angle to the dough's surface, and slice quickly and decisively, about ½” deep. Spritz loaves with water, place them in the oven, and reduce the oven temperature to 475°F.

Bake 18-24 minutes. Remove from oven when they're a deep, golden brown, and transfer to a rack to cool.

TIPS FROM OUR BAKERS:
If desired, you may create more steam in the oven by spraying water into it twice during the first 5 minutes of baking. This extra moisture will help to create a crackly-crisp crust.




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