Baguettes

Homemade baguettes are delicious and taste so much better than the baguettes they sell in Irish supermarkets. They will make you dream of French holidays and sunshine!

If you manage to have any left over the following day they make great French toast for breakfast.

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Baguettes

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Proving Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 400 g strong white flour
• 275 ml lukewarm water
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 g yeast

Instructions

• If you have a breadmaker add the ingredients into the breadmaker and set it to a dough only setting.
• If you don't have a breadmaker but have a food mixer with a dough hook then add the dry ingredients to your mixer bowl. Add 3/4 of the water and set the mixer to medium low. As it comes together add the remaining water as needed. Continue to mix at medium. It should take about 8-10 minutes for the dough to pull away from the side and form a ball. Knead by hand for 1 minute.
• If you don't have either then you can knead the dough by hand. This will take about 15 minutes. Bring the ingredients together, adding 3/4 of the water to start. Add the remaining water as needed. Once the ingredients are combined you can start to knead the dough. Flour your surface and use the base of the palm of your hand to push the dough away from you. Continue until the dough is soft and elastic.
• Whatever method you used to make the dough, the next step is to shape the dough into a ball and leave to prove for an hour in a bowl covered with clingfilm.
• Then knock back the dough and cut into three.
• Roll and shape the dough into a baguette.
• Use a baguette baking tray or inset and place each of the three baguettes onto this and leave to prove for a further 90 minutes. The baguette tray helps the loaf to keep its shape and not spread.
• Cut some thick diagonal lines into the crust.
• Preheat your oven to 210C and once it is hot pop in the baking tray.
• You can put an empty baking try at the bottom of the oven and add some water when the tray is hot. This will cause steam and help to get a great crust.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes at 210C