French Baguette

It's been a long time since I last did a bread post !

These loaves were baked about 3 months ago. I used them as base for my crostini with prawn.

Recipe adapted from Don Yong's Bread Winners :

Ingredients :

500g Bread flour
7g Bread Improver *
7g Instand dry yeast
10g Salt
330g Cold water

With an electric mixet and dough hook at low speed, blend the dry imgredients together for about 1 min. Add water & mix on low speed for another min. Increase to medium speed & mix for 12 mins until dough is fully developed.

Transfer the dough onto a flour-dusted work surface & round up dough with both hands. Place the dough into an airtight container & let it rise in a warm place for 1 - 1 1/2 hrs until the dough is double in bulk.

Divide the dough into 4pcs, each weighing 200g. Round up the dough & leave for 15mins. Mould each dough pc into a cylindrical shape 30cm long. Do this by flattening the dough with a rolling pin & then rolling the dough tightly from one end downwards, making certain that the seam is properly sealed.

Transfer the dough pcs onto a lightly greased, perforated tray & prove in awarm place for 1 1/2 - 2 hrs. When the dough is ready, make 3 diagonal cuts on the surface of each dough pc, using a sharp knife. Space the cuts 10cm apart.

Preheat oven to 230C. Bake with a tray of water to generate steam for the first 10 mins of the baking time. Open the door of the oven & remove any wtaer remaining. Continue to bake for about 10 mins or until the bread is golden brown.

* I omitted the bread improver, as usual.