Currently Cooking

Homemade French Baguette. Easy and YUMMY!!!

1 cup water
1t salt
1T white sugar
2-1/2 cups bread flour
1-1/2 t yeast

1 egg yolk
1 T water

Bread machine: in your bread machine pan add water, salt, sugar, flour and yeast in that order. Set machine to dough cycle and hit start. Make sure that your dough rises in the machine or you will have to follow the non-bread machine recipe after it is mixed.

Non-bread machine: in a large bowl mix together water, salt, sugar and yeast until it is all dissolved. Mix in the flour until well combined. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a towel and set aside in a warm place to rise for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

After it has risen punch dough down and then roll out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a flat 16" x 20" rectangle. Cut dough in half creating two 8"x12" rectangles. Roll up each half of dough tightly, beginning at the 12" side, pushing out any air bubbles as you go. Roll gently back and forth to taper ends. Place 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Make deep diagonal slashes across loaves every 2". Over and let rise in a warm place for 30-40 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix egg yolk with water and brush over the tops of loaves.

Bake for 20-25 minutes in preheated oven or until golden brown. Enjoy warm or wait til they cool all the way down, then they taste almost like bagels! mmmm. For a change try sprinkling some grated Parmesan over the tops after you brush with the egg.