Rise Up: Vive la France!

We've been planning today's picnic since yesterday: bread, ham, cheese, fruit, homemade cookies. Last night, when Sis couldn't sleep, I lulled her to sleep with talk of picnic foods. And it's a gorgeous day for it. So we're making baguettes! Our little budding Francophile, inhaler of pain au chocolat and croissant, loves French bread. I just hope she loves ours. The recipe comes from my Cousin S, down in Texas, who has a special pan for it. I don't but am making do with cookie sheets. I'll let you know in an update embedded in this post later today. For now, here's the recipe. Wish us luck!

Update: "Brilliant!" said Bud. "Better even than the store," admired Sis. The two baguettes were a huge hit. Even though the soft dough spread--it really probably does need a sided pan (and I've now researched baguette pans. More on that soon). But it wasn't French bread, technically. The crust and crumb weren't exactly French, as golden and soft inside as it was. Maybe it was more Italian. But I've looked on Wikipedia and other places and real "baguette de tradition française" is made from wheat flour, water, yeast, and common salt. No sugar. No butter. But the recipe did make a lovely bread; I think this recipe would also make superb dinner rolls. In fact, when I told Sis that I was going to buy baguette pans, she pointedly asked if it would make the same recipe with the same crust, exactly. So, I know we'll be making it again.

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French Bread

1 package dry yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast)
1 1/2 cups warm water, 105-115 degrees
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
4 1/4 to 4 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (I used 4 1/4 in bread machine)
2 teaspoons cornmeal

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.

Add sugar, salt, butter, and 2 cups flour. Beat with a spoon until thoroughly mixed. Gradually add remaining flour until dough is easy to handle.

Knead on a lightly floured surface for five to ten minutes or until dough is elastic and not sticky.

Place in a greased bowl; cover dough with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until double in size, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Punch down and place on a lightly floured surface. Divide into two equal pieces.

Shape each piece into a long narrow loaf, about 14" long and 1 1/2" in diameter.

Lightly grease inside of EKCO French Bread Pan. Sprinkle 1 tsp. cornmeal in each section. Shake pan to distribute evenly.

Place loaves in pan. Make sure the loaves do not come any closer than 1 1/2" to ends of the pan. With a sharp knife, make three or four diagonal 1/4" deep slashes on the top of each loaf. Do not cover. Let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 45 minutes.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Remove from pan at once.

[My Bread Machine adaptations: Put all ingredients excepting cornmeal (I didn't use that) in pan of your bread machine according to manufacturer's instructions. Set on DOUGH cycle. When cycle is over, remove dough from pan and divide into two. Grease your hands lightly with vegetable oil and shape dough into two long baguettes. Place on cookie sheet lined with silpat to rise. Continue as above, by slashing top, letting it rise, baking, etc.]

EKCO pan recipe