GranNini's Baguettes

GranNini's Baguettes

Recipe

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast

2 teaspoons sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

4 cups flour + 1/2 cup flour

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, pour in the warm water.  Sprinkle with yeast and sugar, and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in salt.
3. Gently add in flour, one cup at a time, until you have mixed in four cups of flour.
4. Place your dough onto a clean surface, and begin to knead.  Use the remaining 1/2 cup of flour to cover your surface area, and allow it to slowly add to your dough ball as you knead.  
5. Knead your dough for a good 8 to 10 minutes.  It will seem like forever, but trust me, it's worth it.
6. Wash your large bowl, then grease it.  Plop your kneaded dough into bowl and cover it with saran wrap.  Pop it in the proofer for 1 1/2 hours.
7. Turn your oven on to 375°.  Fill a large casserole dish 1/2 way up with water and place it in your oven.
8. Split your dough into three sections.
9. Form your dough into a flat rectangle.  Fold the end over itself longwise, and seal the ends.  
10. Press the dough out into a flat rectangle again, and repeat -- folding the end over itself longwise and sealing the end.
11. Repeat one last time by pressing the dough out into a flat rectangle, fold the end over itself longwise and seal the end.  You should have a perfectly shaped, perfect size baguette.  
12. Lightly coat your baguette pan with cooking spray.
13. Place the baguette seam side down.
14. Repeat the dough shaping instructions for the remaining two sections of dough.
15. Allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes.
16. Using a sharp knife or a razor blade, make three diagonal slashes across each loaf of dough.
17. Pop the bread into the steamy oven and bake for 31 minutes, or until brown.
18. The crust should be crispy and chewy on the outside, and the inside should be soft and perfectly baked through.
19. Enjoy!

For those of you who like pictures to go with your recipes, I'll post those soon!

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