Who doesn’t love fresh, piping hot, crusty bread? And, a quick, no-knead recipe? Absolutely. The baguette can be baked on the same day, but for a more developed and complex flavour, allow the bread to ferment overnight.
INGREDIENT
500g flour (bread/pizza flour preferred)
1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp dry yeast
375 ml water
METHOD
- Place all DRY ingredients into a large bowl (large enough for double the volume of the ingredients). Using a spatula, mix dry ingredients well
- Add water and mix, just enough to get the mix together. The mix will be wet and sticky
- If baking tomorrow, place a plastic wrap over (leave a corner loose) and allow the dough to rest overnight on the counter at room temperature (next day, skip to step 5)
- For immediate bake, proof in the oven for 30 mins (low steam 40c)
- Dust the counter with more flour. Gently round dough (keep bottom of dough in the bottom, and do not punch dough down). Divide into 4 long pieces. Shape into baguette (thicker in the middle with tapered ends). Dust top with flour and proof for 30 mins
- Preheat oven on V-ZUG professional bake 200c (convection low steam or convection with 2 steam bursts in the beginning*)
- Using a Stanley knife or razor blade, make 3 shallow, diagonal cuts on the crust. Optional: brush on olive oil.
- Bake for about 25 mins
Notes:
- *Having an oven saturated with steam during the first phase of baking will provide a lovely crust (saturating the oven with a spray bottle of water is OK too)
- The same ingredients can be used to make a round rustic bread (like those sour dough breads)
- Remember, practise makes perfect 🙂
- Miele owners: use the automatic baguette function
- Don’t forget to make toasts the next day. The thin, crispy crusts are really, to live for..
