My Baguettes

I use a cuisinart with the metal blade to knead and a disposable type aluminum roasting pan to cover the loaves for the first part of baking. The bread produces its own steam and the aluminum pan keeps it in.

The night before or at least 2 hours before make sponge:

Put 2 1/2 oz bread flour in a bowl

Add 1/4 tsp instant yeast (rapid rise, bread machine yeast)

add 2 1/2 oz water

stir, cover with plastic wrap, let sit

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12 7/8 oz bread flour 

1  heaping tsp + 1/2  heaping tsp instant yeast

8 oz   90-100’ water

1 heaping teaspoon table salt

put yeast and flour in cuisinart bowl and run processor to mix

with processor running, in a steady stream add water  to flour mix

process a few seconds and as soon as shaggy mass starts to form shut off

spread dough around bottom of processor, cover with plastic wrap on surface,  and let sit 20 minutes

sprinkle on salt all over dough and add sponge to dough

process 60 seconds

shut off processor and scrape dough into greased bowl to rise

cover bowl with plastic wrap, allow to rise 90 minutes in warm place

cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper

with dough scraper, fold dough in bowl from sides to middle

turn out onto board and divide in two

form loaves, and place on parchment paper on cookie sheet

sprinkle both loaves with LOTS of flour from end to end

cover with towel and let rise 1 hour in warm place

30 minutes before finished rising, heat oven to 450' with another cookie sheet on the rack. I find that two sheets prevent burning the       bottom of the loaves.

remove towel and  slash loaves – very quick slashes (I use double edge razor blades). you can't slash too quickly.  a slow, deliberate slash causes dragging and tearing of the dough.  it's a quick zip, zip, zip.

cover loaves  with aluminum roasting pan

put into oven and bake for 30 minutes

remove foil pan and bake 22 minutes more, turning cookie sheet around and switching

    loaves from left to right and right to left 1/2 way through

remove and put on cooling rack for at least 1 hour, 2-3 better