Project cooking is not a "quick and easy" recipe; it isn't a sheet pan or dump cake type of recipe. Project cooking is a recipe that takes time and the joy of making it is exactly that - the careful time and attention to make it turn out just right.
It is March, 2020, as I post this recipe. We are in the midst of a global pandemic of the coronavirus. We, along with a huge portion of the U.S. and global population, are under orders to stay at home in an effort to slow the spread of the virus and ensure hospitals are not overwhelmed.
And so, we all have time on our hands as days of home isolation turn into weeks. Project cooking is a perfect activity for these times. I have always wanted to make traditional French baguettes and this was the time to try. I wasn't disappointed. Crispy on the outside and soft inside - I could almost be in Paris!
This recipe comes from the website at King Arthur Flour
Ingredients
For the Starter
1/2 cup cool water
1/16 tsp active dry yeast or instant yeast
1 cup all-purpose flour
For the Dough
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast or instant yeast
1 cup + 2 Tablespoons lukewarm water
All of the starter
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
Instructions
Prepare the starter the evening before you want to make the bread. Combine all starter ingredients together to make a soft dough. Cover and allow to rest at room temperature overnight. The starter should have expanded and become bubbly.
To make the dough, mix together all ingredients in Kitchen Aid mixer. Knead for 4 minutes on speed of 2. The resulting dough should be smooth and soft and should stick a bit to the bottom of the bowl.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a tea towel. and allow to rest and rise for 45 minutes. Then, gently deflate the dough and fold its edges into the center. Turn it over in the bowl and allow it to ride for another 45 minutes. It should be noticeably puffy.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased work surface. Gently deflate it and divide it into three equal pieces. Round each piece into a ball by pulling the edges into the center. Cover with greased plastic wrap and all to rest for 1 hour.
Working with one piece at a time, flatten the dough slightly and fold it almost in half (but not quite), sealing the edges with the palm of your hand. Turn the dough around and repeat, fold and flatten. Repeat this process again, The should have started to elongate itself.
With the seam side down, gently roll the dough into a 16" log. Taper each end slightly to create the baguette's typical pointy end.
Place the logs, seam side down, onto a parchment lined sheet pan. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and allow the loaves to rise until they are slightly puffy. They should look lighter and less dense than when you formed them, but not anywhere near double in size. This should take about 45 minutes.
Towards the end of the final rising period, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a cast iron skillet on the lowest possible rack in the oven. Start heating 1 1/2 cups of water to boil. Place a second rack in the middle of the oven.
Using a very sharp knife, make 3 - 5 diagonal cuts on the top of each baguette.
Place the baking sheet with baguettes into the oven on the middle rack. Quickly pour the boiling water into the cast iron skillet and quickly shut the door, capturing the steam.
Bake the baguettes for 24 - 28 minutes or until a deep golden brown. Remove and cool on wire rack. For a crispier crust, turn off the oven, crack it open about 2 inches, and allow the baguettes to cool in the oven until the baguettes and the oven are both at room temperature.
Store in paper bags overnight or freeze for longer storage. Thaw and reheat just before serving.