BAGUETTE

BAGUETTE

From John Troyer

Here is the recipe I followed.  

https://ww2.kqed.org/essentialpepin/2011/09/18/long-proofed-baguette/

I used King Arthur Bread flour and Red Star quick rise yeast.

There are things I did a little differently.

I did not use corn-meal.

Before I added the water, I warmed it a little bit - to about body temperature.

I stirred in about half a teaspoon of sugar to the water and then added the yeast.

I let it get started while I measured the ingredients into the mixing bowl. 

I added a little extra water while the dough was mixing (it was way too dry).

I kneaded the bread dough before I rolled out the baguettes once I took the dough out of the bowl: 

I cut the dough into four equal sections and kept them under plastic wrap to keep them from drying out while I worked on each baguette 

With each section, I flattened it into a small rectangle a little larger than a 3" by 5."

I turned it so it was length-wise (narrow end toward me)

I folded it in half.

Using the heal/palm of my hand I smashed and pushed forward.

Then I turned the dough 90 degrees and repeated the fold and smash 12 times.

To make the inside less dense and chewy, don't fold/smash/push so many times - the inside will turn out more airy, with bigger holes and gaps.

To make the bread really crusty, every 5-6 minutes, while the bread is baking, open the oven door and toss 2-3 tablespoons of water into the bottom of the oven to keep it steamy inside.