Conference turris::cooks

720.0. "BREAD: French Bread (Baguettes)" by PNEUMA::WILSON (Les Garcons de la Plage) Fri Sep 25 1987 09:29

    
    FRENCH BREAD (Baguettes)
    
    The following recipe for French bread requires the use of a baguette
    pan. I ordered mine from Williams-Sonoma Mail Order, P.O. Box 7456,
    San Francisco, CA 94120. Price is $9 per pan (2 loaves) or $14 for
    2 pans (4 loaves). Call them at 415-421-4555 if you have a credit
    card. (I recommend that you call to find out the price for shipping
    -- it may have gone up since I last ordered.) The following recipe
    is included with the pan.
    
    You may also find a pan at Joy of Cooking or a cook's specialty
    shop.
    
    In a large bowl dissolve 1 envelope dry yeast, 1 Tbs. sugar and
    2 tsps. salt in 2 cups warm water. Let stand 10 min. Stir in
    about 4 cups all-purpose flour, and turn out onto a floured surface.
    Using a pastry scraper, lift and turn the dough, which will be
    very soft, until it coheres enough to knead. Add more flour if
    necessary and knead for 10 min. or until smooth and elastic. Put
    in a clean bowl , cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 45
    minutes in a warm place.
    
    Dislodge dough from sides of bowl with a rubber spatula and turn
    out. Gently pat flat, dust with a little flour, and fold in half
    to form a half circle, and then again to form a quarter circle.
    Return to bowl and let rise for anotehr 30 minutes (the rising 
    develops the full flavor and ultimate lightness).
    
    Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, pat flat and fold
    in half. Cut into four equal pieces (if only onepan is being used
    put half the dough back in bowl for another rising), form into balls
    and let rise for 5 min. Flatten each ball into an oval and roll
    up like a jelly roll. Form into a loaf almost the length of the
    pan by rolling back and forth.
    
    Line baguette pan with a pastry cloth or coarsely woven cloth and
    place formed dough in the furrows. Cover with a clean towel and
    let rise again until almost double. Pull the pans out from under
    the cloth and gently flip the loaves onto the pans which have been
    brushed with butter. (Use the cloth to help you, pulling the loaf
    towards the pan.) Brush the loaves with well-beaten egg mixed with
    a little water, and slash each loaf diagonally with a bakers' blade
    or razor blade. Bake in 450 degree oven for 20-25 min.
    
    
    WW