French Baguettes

Hi there Jellibean Journals friends!  It’s me Claire from A Little CLAIREification and I am taking over Jelli’s blog today while she is on a much needed vacation.  So happy to “meet” you all!  

A few months back Jelli shared an amazing recipe for Nutella Cream Puffs over on my blog for so I figured I would return the favor with this delicious French Baguette recipe.

I know some of you might be thinking why make your own bread when it’s so easy to buy it?  Well, I’ll tell you why.  Making bread is therapeutic  – it’s true – and we try to do it as often as we can.  My Hubs is actually the “bread maker” around here and it’s always amazing.

It takes me right back to our trip to Paris every time I smell that fresh bread baking.  Kneading the dough by hand and watching it rise is pretty awesome, I must say.  We usually start on a Saturday morning so we have fresh bread for dinner.

You’ll notice we are using special perforated French Bread pans and you can find these at cooking stores, or Bed, Bath & Beyond and even on here on Amazon, which is where we got ours.  The perforations allow the bread to form a thin, crispy crust on all sides while baking. Completely worth the minimal investment and you’ll use them for years to come.

 The best part is when the baguettes come out of the oven, all golden and delicious.  I love that first steamy slice, topped with a little butter.  Amazing.  After they are thoroughly cooled, we’ll sometimes wrap a couple in tin foil and freeze them…

…but that’s assuming there are any leftovers around here with three hungry boys.  😉  Yes, Littlest is wearing his doctor outfit.  Maybe he’s worried we’ll have heart failure over how delicious the fresh bread is, who knows.

So remember, it’s easy to make your own French baguettes – don’t be afraid to try it yourself!

 It’s been such a blast hanging our with you all today and I hope you will all pop over and say hello soon.  Thanks so much for having me over today, Jelli!

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 Claire is a wife and busy working  Mom to three boys.   A Little CLAIREification is a lifestyle blog     committed to bringing readers “Bright Ideas On A Budget” – from recipes, crafts and DIY projects to time management tips, meal planning and inspiration.  Claire also likes to throw a little fun and laughter in the mix as well.  She’s addicted to cheese, coffee, washi tape and Sharpie markers in all colors.

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French Baguettes Recipe 

Ingredients

2 pkgs active dry yeast (4 tsp)
2 & 1/2 cups tepid water
2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar
6 & 1/2 cups bread flour

Olive oil to grease bowl and pans
Yellow corn meal to coat pans

Water spray bottle or mister

2 or 3-loaf French bread pan (or you can free-form on a baking sheet)

 

Instructions

Add water, yeast, sugar, salt, water & 2 cups of flour in large bowl and mix until smooth.

Allow 7-10 minutes for yeast to activate and for bubbles to appear on the top.

Add two more cups of flour and continue mixing until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Add remaining 2 & 1/2 cups flour a little at a time, knead by hand or in mixer w/dough hook for about 10 minutes or until smooth and satiny. 

Dough should be moist but not too sticky.

Grease a large bowl with olive oil and place the dough, turning to grease dough on all sides and cover with plastic wrap.

Let rise at room temperature for 2 to 2 & 1/2 hours.

Punch dough down, cover again and let rise for another hour 1 & 1/2 in bowl.

Grease French loaf pan (or cookie sheet) and sprinkle with corn meal.

Cut dough in half, and then in half again to create 4 equal portions.

Allow dough to rest while lightly greasing the pans and sprinkling pans with corn meal.

Shape into long baguettes (or round loaves if desired) and place in pans (or on baking sheet).  

Cover pans with plastic wrap and allow to rise another 2 hours until doubled & puffy.
Preheat oven to 450F.

Slash the tops of the loaves with a small  knife – about every 3 inches.

Mist lightly with water and place into the oven.

Set a timer for 9 minutes and mist with a little water every 3 minutes.

After 9 minutes mist again, lower oven temperature to 425F and bake for another 16-20 minutes.
Turn the oven off, open the oven door and let sit for 3 minutes.

Close the oven door and let rest for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and transfer to cooling racks. 

 

Yields 4 loaves