Rustic French Baguettes

Bryce --- Hikes --- and Baguettes.  

Bryce, Bryce baby!!  Two weeks ago I hiked Bryce canyon and if you've never been - picture the biggest, most amazing sand castle you've ever seen in the most intense, vibrant colors you can imagine.😮  Life sized sculptures complete with towers, tunnels and moats! ⛫ 

We hiked all the way to the bottom of this giant canyon which meant that we also had to hike all the way back up to the top again.🥾😰  It was hot and it was steep but it was totally worth it.  Every. Single. Step. 

The scenery on this trail was incredible, I think I took 300 pictures in under 2 hours.🤣😬  The struggle of trying to capture the entire panorama of this place was real.😅  

I enjoy hiking and when I'm surrounded by amazing scenery like this - I enjoy it even more.  I also fully enjoy the pre hike ritual of carbo loading.  Did I mention that my hikes are powered by bread and sugar?🤣  If you've got a hike in your future - I highly recommend that you make a batch of baguettes and turn them into packable sub sandwiches.  Subway and Jimmy John's got nothing on these homemade baguettes.😉 😅   They're crusty on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.  The perfect fuel for long hike.  

Rustic French Baguettes
500 g bread flour 
360 g water 
12 g salt 
3 g instant yeast 
25 g honey 

Combine all ingredients in bowl of standing mixer.

Let sit 15 minutes.  

Cover and let rest 45 minutes.  

Stretch one side of dough over the top.  Rotate bowl 90 degree and repeat 4-6 more times.  Flip upside down.  

Let rest 45 minutes.  Repeat process 3 more times.  

Cover bowl and let rest in refrigerator overnight.  (12-14 hours)

Divide dough into 3 rectangles.  

Cover and let rest 45 minutes to 1 hour. 

Shape into long baguettes and ​transfer to floured couche.

Cover and let rest 1 hour.  

Preheat oven to 500.  Place baking stone in top half of oven and roasting pan filled with water in bottom.  

Using wet hands, transfer baguettes to parchment paper.  

Dust with flour and score each baguette with a knife or lame.  

Slide baguettes onto baking stone.  Reduce heat to 475.  Bake 15 minutes.  

Reduce heat to 450.  Remove roasting pan and bake another 5 minutes. 

Ciao!

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