Baked Baguettes
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
- Cornmeal, for dusting
- Milk, for brushing
- In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir to blend.
- Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the salt.
- Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until most of the flour has been incorporated and the dough forms a ball.
- Continue to mix at the lowest speed until the dough has become a sticky ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl; about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Dust the counter lightly with flour.
- Knead the dough by hand for a minute and form into a ball.
- Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let it sit in a warm spot for 2 hours to rise.
- To form the baguettes: Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces.
- Press each piece of dough into a rectangle and fold the long sides up into the middle.
- Roll each into a log, taking care to close the seam.
- Taper the ends by gently rolling it back and forth.
- Lay the baguettes on a sheet pan that is dusted with cornmeal and cover with a towel.
- Let the baguettes rise for another 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- With sharp knife, make 4 or 5 diagonal slashes across the top of each loaf.
- Brush the tops of the loaves with milk.
- Bake for 40 minutes, until the bread is golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack.
active dry yeast, sugar, water, salt, bread flour, cornmeal, milk
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/baked-baguettes-recipe.html (may not work)