French Baguettes

Normally when it comes to recipes, I look for the quick, easy and healthy recipes.  What can I say?  I'm busy and I always want to eat healthier.  With that being said... This recipe is none of those things.🤣 

These French Baguettes took a little more than 2 days to make.😳  A lot of that time the dough was fermenting in the frig but I had to start prepping the dough 2 days before I wanted to eat these baguettes.🥖 And prior to that I watched a tutorial on how to properly roll and fold the dough (thank you culinary exploration).   Safe to say "quick" and "easy" are off the table.😅

I also decided to invest in some specific equipment to make these French Baguettes (a baguette pan and a bread lame) which means it wasn't a "cheap" recipe either.  Not to worry though - you can totally make this without those things.  I just wanted to go all in on these baguettes so I could feel like a french baker.👩🏻‍🍳 😂   

​Right about now you're probably wondering why in the world anyone would ever want to make homemade French Baguettes.💁🏻‍♀️  Quite simply - these carbo sticks are the bomb!!! 

I know all about the perils of white bread and I still want to make these homemade French Baguettes every week.😅  That should tell you how strongly I feel about this recipe.  Eating a warm baguette is a sensory experience that's simple yet deeply satisfying.  There's nothing like that crispy, golden crust that shatters in your fingers when you tear off a piece of warm baguette and a pillowy, soft inside that's chewy and tender - baguettes are perfect - pure and simple.🥖 As for me, there's no need to add butter or cheese, jam or even olive oil - I think they're best enjoyed in their most basic form. 

Contrary to most other recipes that I make as quickly as possible, bread making is an activity that slows me down.  It centers me.  So much preparation and care has to go into the process.  It can't be rushed or hurried.  I think all of the time that I put into baking this bread made the experience even more rewarding --- and delicious.  

French Baguettes
Poolish
150g bread flour
150g room temperature water
3g instant dried yeast

Dough
303g of poolish 
220g room temp water
13g sea salt
4g instant dried yeast
380g bread flour

Weigh out poolish ingredients.  

Stir together. 

Cover and refrigerate 12-24 hours. 

Weigh out dough ingredients.  

Combine into a rough dough.  Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

Knead 2 minutes.  

Cover and refrigerate 12-18 hours.  ​

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces.  Use a scale for accuracy.

Cover and let dough rest on an oiled baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Roll each dough into a sausage.  Cover and rest 20 minutes. 

Roll the dough out again and seal the bottom.  Lengthen the dough.  

Lay baguettes in floured baguette pan. 

Cover and let rest 45 minutes.  ​

Dust baguette with flour and score the top.  Preheat oven to 500.

Reduce heat to 475 and bake for 20 minutes.  

Notes:
I have a steam tray in the bottom of my oven so I add a couple of ice cubes to create some steam.  You can also add ice cubes to a small tray in the bottom of your oven if you like.  
I preheated my oven for about an hour before adding the baguettes.  

​Hope you enjoy these as much as I did.😋
​
Ciao!

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