Ooh La La Baguette Food

OOH-LA-LA BAGUETTE

Steps:

• Following your bread-machine method using the European, French, or dough setting.
• Combine the first 5 ingredients- start machine, in about 7-8 minutes sprinkle a few drops of the extra water in the corners of bread machine as needed to incorporate all of the flour- still keeping the dough very firm- there should be NO extra moisture in the machine.
• Remove dough from machine after the stirring and kneading cycle is done (about 25-30 minutes).
• Place the dough in large clean bowl,*drape a bread cloth over and place in oven with light on and oven door shut for about one hour, or until doubled*.
• Punch down, turn over and repeat from* as above, until doubled- about one hour.
• Punch down, turn out onto bread board, divide into two pieces.
• Roll each piece out into a rectangle just under 3/8" thick by 5 inches wide by 14 inches long.
• Let rest a minute.
• Sprinkle a few drops of water on the rolled out dough and spread out to give the dough a little sticky to it when you roll it into the baguette shape.
• Roll up the dough into the baguette shape- PINCH the seam completely the length of the baguette.
• Sprinkle and spread a few drops of water on each baguette and roll the mixed toppings.
• Place each topped baguette into a fluted baguette tray lined with parchment paper.
• Proof in a draft free location- with the bread cloth draped over for about 45 minutes, or until doubled- the last 15 minutes preheat the oven to 440°F.
• Make 5 slashes at a diagonal- this slashing step can be done half way through proofing if you are afraid of deflating the bread completely.
• Bake at 440°F 18- 20 minutes on the middle rack, with a small Pyrex custard bowl of 2-3 ozs of water combined with a 1/2 teaspoons of vinegar placed on the oven floor - or just pitch it at the oven floor like I do - I haven't broken a heating element yet.

OOH LA LA ALOHA LOAF!

Steps:

• Cut the top off the bread and hollow out the bowl by tearing out the middle of bread.
• Reserve the torn bread pieces, wrapped to preserve freshness.
• Combine ingredients, mixing well.
• Spoon into hollowed out bread, replace the top crust and bake for 45 minutes at 300* degrees.
• Serve with bread pieces, crackers, or buttered & broiled (or just plain) French baguette slices.