Best No Knead Baguette Food

NOT-QUITE-WHOLE-GRAIN BAGUETTES

Steps:

• Combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. With the machine running, add water until a ball forms, about 30 seconds. (Start with 1 1/2 cups water; you may need a little more or less.) Then process for an additional 30 to 45 seconds. Put the dough ball in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit until risen, 2 to 3 hours.
• Cut the dough into 3 pieces, and using an absolute minimum of flour to prevent sticking, form each into a rough log. (You can make one large boule, or a ciabatta-shaped loaf or whatever else you like.) Cover with a towel and let sit about 20 minutes. Then shape into long baguettes; support their shape by letting them rise in baguette pans or a lightly floured piece of canvas. Set the oven to 465. (If you have a pizza stone, leave it in there.)
• The loaves will be ready to bake in 30 minutes or so. Slide in on a peel or in baguette pans. Slash or cut the top of the loaf. Bake, lowering heat if necessary to prevent browning, until the loaves read 210 internally (not more), 20 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.

BEST NO KNEAD BAGUETTE

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water.
• Add sugar, salt, shortening, and 1 cup warm water; stir until dissolved.
• Add flour and stir until smooth.(you may knead, but it's not necessary).
• Cover and let rise in a draft-free, warm place for an hour or until doubled.
• Turn onto floured surface. Divide in half; let rest for 5 minutes.
• Roll each half into a 10"x8" rectangle. Roll up from the long side; pinch along seam edges to seal.
• Place seam side down on oiled baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise again until doubled, approximately 45 minutes.
• With a very sharp knife, make 5 diagonal cuts across the top of each loaf.
• Bake as directed or until lightly browned.
• Cool on wire racks.

NO-KNEAD BAGUETTE -- USING RECIPE #309834

Steps:

• Refer to Recipe #309834 for instructions to prepare the dough necessary to make the baguette.
• Preheat Oven to 450 degrees with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler try on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.
• With wet hands, pull up one end of the refrigerated dough (Recipe #309834). Using a serrated knife, cut off a 1-pound, or grapefruit-size, piece of dough.
• Lightly dust the ball of dough with flour and shape into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.
• Once it's cohesive, begin to stretch and elongate the dough, dusting with additional flour as necessary. You may find it helpful to roll it back and forth with your hands on a flour-dusted surface.
• Form a cylinder approximately 2 inches in diameter. If the loaf will not fit on your pizza peel or stone, cut it in half to make two smaller baguettes.
• Place the loaf/loaves on a pizza peel covered with whole wheat flour (do not use cornmeal as it's flavor is too strong for baguettes) and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes.
• After the dough has rested, paint water over the surface or the loaf using a pastry brush. Using a serrated bread knife slash the top with longitudinal cuts that move diagonally across the loaf.
• Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door.
• Bake for about 25 minutes or until deeply browned and makes a hollow sound when 'thumped'.
• Allow to cool on a rack before cutting.