Baguette

I just tried this delicious bread recipe this morning and was so surprised at how easy and delicious it was.  The best part was the total time to make it was 1 hour, that includes a 30 minutes of rise time and a 15 minute bake time.  Here is the recipe that was originally found here. Enjoy!

Baguette

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 1/2 Tbs. (2 packages) dry yeast

2 tsp. honey

3 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp. salt

In a small bowl mix the yeast and honey in the warm water. Let the mixture sit for about 5-10 minutes until frothy.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour and salt. Gradually add the yeast mixture and mix until the dough becomes a smooth ball.  Then knead for about 5 minutes.  

Cut the dough in half and then shape into 2 baguettes. To make them smooth and pretty, roll each half dough into a rectangle and roll up lengthwise.  Pinch the edges to seal and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet (or parchment papers) with seam down Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  With a very sharp knife (I like to use a serrated blade) gently make a slash down the length of each baguette. This will give it that authentic look.  Pour water in a cookie sheet and place it on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake the bread for 15 minutes. Half way through, brush the bread with melted butter.