French Baguette (normal)

[achookwoman]

I thought they tasted fine,  very fussy DS, said excellent.   I reheated them in hot oven.

[Frozzie]

ACW this is the only baguette recipe i have found that really resembles a 'normal' french baguette (there are several) home made and CP im not sure if you know but the crisp crust and softer center is what makes a french baguette compared to just a breadstick say!

ACW thanks for posting back re the video method...ill have to give it a go 

glad you girls liked them and ACW great photo!  Only problem is that if you dont eat that much bread within 24 hours the bread goes hard but then to not waste i just chop it up in bits and mix it in batches into fine breadcrumbs ready for another use like chicken schnitzel...mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!

[Frozzie]

Thanks Frozzie,  especially for the method.   Will have to try this method.   The water / flour ratio is classic for any bread,  so the difference has to be in the method.  We will be grateful for anything that you can offer from the French TMX book.  I think I was French in a previous life.   I love anything French,  especially French country cooking.  French Champagne is VERY nice.

lol didnt realise i hadnt replied to this..i also think i was french in a previous life and go figure i end up living back here lol..i think we are many who love anything french, food, wine and definately the champagne or vouvray or or or 

[gertbysea]

no prob not my ideas just found from searching here and there as i found it very hard cutting with a knife, even a sharp one! I went and bought a bakers razor yesterday..basically a razor with a handle but im guessing a scalpel would also work nicely if you had one that is !  Apparently it helps with even rising of the baguette! 

A Stanley knife would do the trick. I keep one in the kitchen for various things including pork crackling slitting.

Great recipe. I love the hands on folding and rolling.
Gretchen

[judydawn]

Great idea Gretchen, now why didn't I think of that    DH may not notice one of his stanley knives missing from the garage 

[gertbysea]

Great idea Gretchen, now why didn't I think of that    DH may not notice one of his stanley knives missing from the garage 

Gun brushes, stanley knives. What's next?

Gert

[JulieO]

I had a go at making these yesterday only doing half recipe (thankfully).  Put it this way, if I needed garden stakes to hold up my tomato plants, I would have had 2! 

They seemed okay until I sprayed with water and put slits in them, they deflated and never recovered and didn't rise when I baked them.  Not sure what I did wrong but I will have another try at some stage. Would love to be able to make them like Chookies. 

[judydawn]

What a pity JulieO.  There seems no rhyme nor reason when making bread, it either works or it doesn't.

[achookwoman]

O JulieO,  what a B......, 3 problems that I can see,  (1) I never make less than 500g. flour.  (2)  they were probably over proofed.  If they deflate when cut or don't rise in oven,  then they are usually over proofed.  (3) it is best to cut the slits when the dough is 3/4 risen.  This takes a bit of guess work.   Don't give up.   You are nearly there.  The Baguettes are really impressive once mastered.  If this happens again,  tip the dough out on to the bench,  kneed it a bit by hand and form it again.,    let it rise again,  and bake.

[CreamPuff63]

If this happens again,  tip the dough out on to the bench,  kneed it a bit by hand and form it again.,    let it rise again,  and bake.

thats what i like about bread making - it is very forgiving

[JulieO]

Thank you Chookie for giving me these tips, I will give another go using the full recipe amount.  I've also bought a razor for cutting the slits, less drag on the dough I think.  Maybe tomorrow I'll have time to try. 

[achookwoman]

Go for it JulieO

[tarasis]

Tried this a couple of days ago, tasty but anaemic. Mine came out nothing like Chookie's (I'll add a photo after I've got them synced) though, really mine where more like a "part baked" baguette despite having 10 mins at 240 and 10 at 200. I also think my attempt at rabattre failed

I was left wondering if the fan should have been on Fan rather than Conventional?
And post the rabattre I was wondering what I was looking for in terms of "may need longer" ("Leave it to rise another 1h30mins (may need longer)), i.e. a doubling in size? a tiny bit of rising?

Still thanks for the recipe Frozzie, going to give it a try again soon.

[achookwoman]

tarasis,  if the issue is just the colour of the crust,  you can brush with  egg yolk mixed with just a little water,  befor popping in the oven.  I always use FF for my bread.

[tarasis]

Well one issue was colour, so I'll try egg on one next time. There we are few other issues like not rising in the oven like JulieO which meant that the inside was a little dense, not as crisp (which may be I was cooking on conventional rather than fan).

What is FF?

Thanks