photos from the-lark
Today’s recipe comes from one of my favourite craft and design blogs! A constant source of lovely images, vintage niceness and happy days! It’s Allison’s! You’ll need to start these in the middle of the afternoon, after a big lunch… and you can have them for….. Sunday Supper!
As posted by Allison of The Lark on
Wednesday, 20 February 2008
250g full-fat milk at room temperature (weigh it, don’t use a measuring jug)
15g yeast (dry or fresh)
500g strong bread flour
60g unsalted butter at room temperature
40g caster sugar
10g salt
2 large organic free-range eggs (the quality of the eggs makes a difference to the taste)
Mix the yeast with the flour and then rub in the butter, sugar and salt. Add eggs and milk. Knead for 10 minutes by hand or 3 in the mixer with a dough hook. Leave to rise in a draught-free area for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Turn out and cut the dough into either 5 large or 15 small baguettes. Flatten each piece into a rough rectangle and then fold in one third into the middle, then the other side into the middle, lightly press to make a seam. Roll these into a sausage shape.
Place on a lightly greased baking tray, making sure that they’re well apart. (The will expand and stick together if you’re not careful.) Brush with two coats of egg wash. With a sharp knife make a succession of small deep cuts diagonally along the top of each baguette. Do not cover!!! Leave to prove for an hour.
At this point put your oven on full and just before the baguettes have proved turn down to 220 degrees centigrade. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the tops are golden/dark brown. Put out to cool on a wire rack. Delicious sliced lengthways and served with Lindt 70% cocoa chocolate.
Thank you Paul!
xx Mikes