Like a lot of people out there during the lockdown we got seriously into baking, we have made bread before and decided to make some different types. So Reubs and I set about making some Baguettes or as Reubs calls them Long Bread.
The Baguette Dough Recipe
The basic recipe for a white bread dough is
- 500g Strong Bread Flour (you can use Plain but it needs to be worked more)
- 7-10g dried Yeast (7g is the minimum but 10g gives a lighter texture)
- 300-350 ml (its better to actually weigh your water to about 350g)
- pinch salt
Reubs loved sorting out the ingredients and gathering up everything we need from around the kitchen, the flour, the bowls, the scales and everything we needed.
The Technique
After we had everything we needed it was on to the hard graft, the mixing and Reubs favourite part as it involved making a good old mess of the kitchen and generally having fun. The key here, amongst the flour clouds, is to put the flour in a clean bowl, then added the yeast and mix it until the yeast is blended into the flour.
Once you have mixed away the yeast add the pinch of salt, the add the water a bit at a time until it comes together to form a sticky dough ball.
Turn the ball out onto an unfloured surface and knead away using which ever technique works best for you, then leave it to rest in a bowl covered by a tea towel or cling film until it doubles in size.
Once the dough has rested roll the dough into a ball squish it into an oval, fold in the sides. Roll it a bit and hey presto you have a Long Bread (aka baguette). Put a rolled up teatowel between the rolled up breads and leave it to prove for about 2 hours. If you are into your baguettes making you can buy a baguette tray like the one here.
Now put your baguettes on a floured baking tray. Spray with water, and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200c for about 30 mins.
The Finished Long Bread (Baguette)
Once the bread is golden brown and has a hollow sound on the base, take it out of the oven and leave it to cool on a wire rack, be careful as it will be hot. Reubs checked the final bread and loved it so much he ate both loaves.
