recipe pages

I’m not a baker by trade or even had any formal training on baking but just as with cooking, I’m curious so I’m teaching myself. I usually read up about 5 different recipes for the same item and then try the first one that makes sense. It usually turns out to be the right choice trusting my instinct. A lot of recipes that you will find online or in books will set you up for failure from the beginning because they are either overly complicated by the cook who writes them or they just tend to miss vital information. In my recipes I am developing how I write them to try and put my head in the head of an novice and include all the crucial info to help the learner understand what they have to do what the recipe asks of them for success.  

useful info

Course: any time of day 

Oven temp: 220˚c

Preparation time: 1hr 45mins

Cooking time: 22 minutes

Makes 4

ingredients

10g of Maldon sea salt

10g of fast action dried yeast

370ml of tepid water

equipment

Thick cloth or couche

Flour dredger or sieve

Dough scraper

Dough cutter

Baking stone or strong metal baking tray

Parchment paper

method

Turn the dough out of the mixing bowl and scrape every last bit out. Clean and dry the bowl then brush with a little oil to coat and put the dough back into bowl.

Leave for 1 hour or until doubled in size and then carefully turn out onto your work surface. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces weighing them on your scales to be certain.

You need to be handling the dough gently otherwise you will knock too much air out.

Carefully shape the dough (check YouTube)

Roll each piece with th peplums of your hands tapering off towards the ends. Place in the flour dredged couch or thick tea towel and allow to rise again covered with a cloth or plastic bag for an hour. Whilst waiting pre heat your oven to 220oC and place a metal baking tray in the bottom of the oven.

Once you are ready to bake carefully transfer the baguettes from the linen to a parchment lined baking tray. and make 4 slices across the tops.

Place in oven and for some boiling water into the tray that is sat on the bottom of the oven. The steam will help to create a really nice crust.

Bake for about 20 minutes and once ready allow to cool for a while before getting the cheese out!

serving suggestion

Best eat these baguettes with salami or cheese or ham or beef or whatever takes your fancy.