AARP Kneadlessly Simple by Nancy Baggett

Author:Nancy Baggett
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Published: 2010-05-01T00:00:00+00:00

It seems ironic that the most magnificent of French breads, the baguette, is called pain ordinaire, meaning ordinary, or everyday, bread. True, the ingredients are few in number and completely ordinary, but good baguettes are a thing of beauty, combining a shatteringly, breathtakingly crisp crust; soft, moist, yeasty interior; and a simple, balanced shape brilliantly designed for breaking, not sawing, a loaf into portions.

The Kneadlessly Simple method is well-suited to making fine-tasting baguettes because the long, slow, retarded rise coaxes out as much flavor as possible from the flour and yeast, which are, of course, all you've got to work with besides the salt. (Some bakers feel that using sea salt and spring water can add a flavor dimension, but in my blind tastings, almost nobody—including me—noticed any difference.) The "micro-kneading" that naturally occurs during the lengthy rise also ensures thorough gluten development, an essential for the good loaf structure. And, the more fully hydrated Kneadlessly Simple dough keeps the interior of the loaves soft longer than is normal for French bread—for up to three or four days!

The only "gotcha" is the shaping, which is really just a matter of practice. Plus, the loaves will taste wonderful and seem impressive even if they don't look quite as perfect as those from a French bakery. Moreover, you've also got a convenient fallback position: If your baguettes come out looking a little stubby, just say you were aiming for the slightly shorter loaves called bâtards! (Or that longer loaves wouldn't fit in your oven!)

This recipe requires a two-loaf baguette tray, but not to worry—if you don't have one on hand it's easy to fashion homemade trays from heavy-duty aluminum foil; see To Make a Baguette Tray for instructions. This dough can also be used to make another attractively shaped loaf called a fougasse (see Fougasse (or Black Olive Fougasse) for instructions).

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