Baguette

It's been a busy week. Finally, Saturday! Edward did the cooking for dinner and I have decided to make baguette to go with mushrooms and soup for dinner. Edward's stir fry mushroom with olive oil, salt, pepper and parsley was delicious. It compliment the baguette well. A pity, no photos was taken.

Ingredients to make the baguette was simple. 500g of strong flour, 310g of water, 7.5g of yeast and 7.5g of salt. That is it. With a hook fixed to the mixer, put all ingredients into the bowl and beat for about 5 minutes. Transfer the dough into a clean bowl and leave to raise for an hour and then, divide the dough into equal number of portions. Shape it and let it raise until double it size. slit the baguette at the top before placing them in the oven. Oven should be 210 degrees C. Once the baguette are placed into the oven, spray some water onto the baguette before shutting the oven door. This is to ensure that the baguette is crusty.

Bake for 25 minutes....if you do not want to wait so long for the proving, mix 4g of bread improver together with the dry ingredients. Well, no bread improver was used. I try to minimise additives into home cooking. It should be healthier.

This recipe for baguette, is the same for batard and cob. It is only the shaping that is different.

Turned out nice.....finished 2 baguette. Will have the other for breakfast tomorrow.