April 15, 2020
I always have a batch of Zoe Francois and Jeff Herzberg’s “Master Recipe” bread dough in the fridge. You can make so many things with that dough. Here’s how to make a baguette using their “Master Recipe”
Baguette
1. Cut off a large grapefruit sized piece of dough (with floured hands).
2. On a floured counter, roll the dough into a long baguette shape by going back and forth with your hands. (Think back to your childhood and making snakes out of Play-doh)
3. Sprinkle an 18”x2” patch of cornmeal on the counter.
4. Lift your baguette dough and place onto the cornmeal. This helps to keep it from sticking.
5. Place onto a baguette pan. If you don’t have one a cookie sheet or pizza stone work great too. Just sprinkle more cornmeal on those pans before adding the dough.
6. Spray Saran Wrap with cooking spray and cover lightly over the bread dough.
7. Allow to rise for at least an hour. I usually go longer and watch for when the dough looks good and puffy.
8. 30 minutes before you bake, preheat the oven to 450 degrees and add a dish of water to lower rack. Heat the water for 30 minutes (this gives you that crispy crust)
9. Right before baking, brush the dough with water and give a few slashes to the top with a knife.
10. Put in oven and back for about 30 minutes.
There is nothing better than a fresh and warm baguette with butter - right out of the oven. And your house is going to smell amazing! Enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day” by Zoe Francois and Jeff Herzberg
