French Baguettes

French Baguettes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 tablespoons dry active yeast, or 2 packages
2 teaspoons sugar

3 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar together.  Stir and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the yeast is activated and begins to foam.

Gradually add the flour and salt to the yeast mixture.  Kneading the dough for 5 minutes.  Use a KitchenAid mixer with a dough hook if you have one, if not, do it the old-fashion way and use your hands.

Turn out the dough on a floured surface and knead for a few minutes more.  Form the dough into a ball, and place it in an lightly oiled bowl.  Cover with a dishcloth for 30 minutes.

Punch down the dough and divide it in half.  Shape into 2 baguettes by making a rectangle out of your dough, then folding the top and bottom towards the middle, like an envelope, and sealing the seam with your fingers. Keep repeating the folding and sealing, stretching the rectangle lengthwise as you go, until the dough is about 12 to 14 inches long and 2-inches wide.  Fold and seal either end to round.  Flip seam-side down and place on a lightly greased sheet pan or baguette pan

Cover with a dishcloth and let rise for another 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

With a sharp knife, cut a slash down the length of each baguette, or score the tops of the loaves, making deep diagonal slits 1/2-inch deep.

Bake the baguettes for 8 minutes, and then brush with olive oil.

Bake the baguettes for another 8 minutes.

HINT - Place a pan of water on the lower rack of the oven while baking the bread.