Baguette
By Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
1 pound Boule Dough (Recipe Below)
Whole Wheat Four
Boule Dough – makes 4 1-pound loaves
3 cups lukewarm water
1 ½ Tbls yeast (2 packets)
1 ½ Tbls kosher salt
6 ½ cups all purpose flour
The water should be about 100 degrees. Add yeast and salt to water in a 5 qt bowl (I used electric mixer bowl). Mix in flour – no kneading. You can use your electric mixer or a wooden spoon. Cover and let rise and begin to collapse (about 2 hours). Cover with plastic wrap and store in fridge for up to 14 days.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with the baking stone placed in the middle.
Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour. Cut off a 1-pound piece. Dust the piece with more flour and stretch the dough around to the bottom of itself to form a ball. Then stretch and elongate the dough. Dust with more flour, if needed. Form into a 2 in diameter loaf. Place the loaf on a pizza peel (or cookie sheet or cutting board) coated in whole wheat flour. Rest for 20 minutes.
Using a pastry brush, brush the dough with water. Slash the loaf with diagonal cuts. Use a serrated knife.
Slide the loaf onto the hot stone. Place a pan with 1 cup of water below the baking stone. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until brown and firm to the touch.
Allow to cool in a wire rack before cutting.
