Source:Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol. 2 by Julia Child
Makes 1 serving.
Preparation time: 8 hours
Tips: Baguettes make great sandwiches.
French Bread
Ingredients
Preparation
1/3 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
3 1/2 cups unbleached flour sifted into cup
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cups warm water (105-115 degrees)
1. Dissolve yeast in 1/3 cup warm water. In mixer bowl place 2 cups of flour and salt. Mix using flat paddle. Add dissolved yeast and the additional 1 1/4 cups warm water. Mix with flat paddle for 2 minutes a medium speed, slowly add 1/2 cup of flour during this time. Dough should be very wet and elastic. Replace paddle with dough hook, add remaining cup of flour, knead dough with hook for 10 minutes stopping to make sure dough is uniform and forming a smooth ball. Additional flour may be added if dough is too wet, but be careful not to over load. Dough should become soft and pliable developing a smooth surface no longer sticking to the touch.
2. FIRST RISE: (about 4-5 hours). Grease dough slightly with shortening to prevent drying during rise. Place in large tall bowl such as the mixer's bowl, cover with plastic and let rise at room temperature. Dough should about triple in size and be very soft and bubbly.
3. SECOND RISE: (about 2-3 hours). Punch, remove air bubbles and re-shape into a ball. Return to bowl and cover with plastic, dough should double in size, not as bubbly as first rise.
4. While dough rises for second time, prepare baking sheets by slightly grease with shortening and sprinkle with coarse corn meal. Set aside.
5. SHAPING THE LOAVES: Punch dough removing all air bubbles. Using a large knife and clean sure cuts, divide dough into the number of loaves desire: 1 large baguette, 2 medium, 3 small, 4 thin baguettes for snacks. Let dough rest for 5 minutes. With floured hands, shape baguettes by rolling and folding dough into half, pinch seam to seal. Stretch loaf, roll and fold again sealing seam once more. Gently stretch loaf to desire length and thickness careful not to torn the outer smooth layer of dough.
6. THIRD RISE: about 1 1/2 to 2 hours until loaves double in size and feel soft and light. Place loaves in prepared baking sheets maintaining at least one loaf space between breads. Place rolled cloth towels or dividers (see note 1) in between bread to prevent them from flattening during rise. Cover with linen towel or cloth.
7. While waiting for bread to rise, place a shallow plate of water at the bottom of the oven , steam during baking produces a thicker crust. PRE-HEAT oven to 450F degrees 30 minutes before baking.
8. Slash the top of each bread in several places, spray loaves with water mist, remove all linen and dividers. Bake at 450F degrees for about 20 minutes. Depending on size and shape time will range from 20 to 40 minutes. Check bread at mid baking for hot spots in your oven. Move loaves around to bake evenly. Remove bread and cool in racks.
NOTES : 1) Sections of PVC pipe about 2" diameter cut to tray length and cover with stretch cloth make great dividers.
2) Bread freezes very well. To crisp crust place frozen bread for about 10 minutes @ 400 degrees.
3) Start dough at 8:00 a.m. baked by 5:00 p.m. Dough is very forgiving during first and second rise.
