Bread Recipe #1 ~ Baguette (in 1 hour or less)

I remember just not so long ago, I was very frustrated with bread making, I tried a few and failed each time, somehow, things changed after I attended the cooking class at Sur la Table, not that I learn how to make bread there, but while learning how to make doughnuts, I also learn the "magic" factor I need for bread making that most recipe won't "tell" you.

a lot of bread recipes will just used the words "warm water" or "tepid water", ok, so I never really cook or bake growing up, "warm water" is hard for me to figure out? How warm exactly would be right? 

What I learn is that the best temperature for the water to use with yeast is between 105F - 115F. That seems to solved all my bread making problem, seriously, I never fail any after I "mastered" that.

after my post for Our Beautiful World last Sunday, my blog friend Davi asked me to share the bread recipe.... since I have to spend a bit of time working on this, I might as well share with all of you who are interested.

it took me a while because I need to re-write the recipe with my own words. I love to browse through cooking/baking blogs and I learn that when you share someone's recipe, even though you give credit and link back to the original post, you are still not "allowed" to cut and paste the recipe. 

so here you go my friends, to Davi and all who will be interested to try it....

Baguette

Recipe source: Here and Here

This is one bread that I make a lot, simply because it a quick one, compared to my other white bread that needs 6 hours (for bread rising time), this one is a breeze, I can start around 10:30 AM and it will be ready for chicken salad lunch, don't get me wrong, it takes little time but it is still good, it is DH's favorite for now.

Ingredients

2 cups warm water (105-115F)

1 packet yeast 

(I tried active dry yeast in small sachet as well as instant dry yeast, since I had a big packet of instant dry yeast, I learn that when recipe called for 1 packet, it is 2 1/4 teaspoon)

2 Tablespoon Sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups all purpose flour

cornmeal for dusting your baking tray

Method

1. In your stand mixer bowl, put water, yeast and sugar, slightly mix and let it set in a warm place for 10 minutes.

2. I like to prepare my baking tray before I get my hand all sticky from the dough, I place my non-stick baking sheet on the tray, dust it generously with cornmeal.

3. Using the dough hook, add in salt and 1 cup of flour, run on medium speed for 2 minutes

4. Add 1/2 cup of flour at a time, until 4 cups in total. It should be a soft dough at this point.

5. Remove the dough from your mixer bowl to a lightly floured counter top and hand knead for about 5 minutes, I add a little bit of flour on my hand as well as the dough so it will not be so sticky to work with, I usually used close to 1/4 cup of flour during this process.

6. Form the dough into 2 loaves and leave it on the prepared baking sheet, cover the loaves with cloth and let it sit for 10 minutes. At this point, I also preheat the oven to 425F.

(The recipe above said you can skip this step if you have no time, I like it better if I let the loaves sit longer, sometimes as long as 30 to 45 minutes, I notice the longer it sits there, it gets more airy in the bread and it also gets rounder and bigger, and it will be bigger slices for our sandwiches. If you want to wait longer then you should also start the oven a bit later.

7. Baked in the preheated oven (425F) for 15-20 minutes, for my oven, 18 minutes is perfect!

8. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes for easier cutting.

Note

According the the recipe source, you can sprinkle some ice cold water onto the oven floor before you close the oven door for baking, that gives you a crustier bread on the outside. I do it most of the time but skip it when I forgotten and didn't really notice any huge difference.

DH likes it with butter, he said it is so good he didn't even need jelly on it.

We do a lot of lunch with this, our favorite is chicken salad sandwiches, with lettuce and a slice of pickle, yum!

it is pretty good dipping them in sauce, make toasted garlic bread, I am so spoilt with fresh bread and won't even eat them on the 3rd day, I put them in the fridge and make croutons, so good and none of my bread goes to waste!

I would really love to hear from you the results if you ever try it!

I think we can all learn from each other.

Project Life 2014 ~ July 11 - 20

Project Life 2014

July 11

Dolce is back in Singapore interned at global banking department there, it is her first day in Singapore and she sent me photos of the yummy food she had.

July 14

Breaking news!!!!!

We just learn that Ikea is coming to Las Vegas, summer 2016. I know, it is 2 years away but I can sure wait. I love Ikea, way back when I still living in Singapore, my girl friend Ann and I would go there few times a week for breakfast and just window shopped, oh of course, we picked up little trinkets here and there, I just love Ikea market place. Now that I live in Las Vegas, the nearest Ikea is Burbank CA, whenever I visited Clare, I always make a stop at Ikea.

July 15

Today is Papi's 1st birthday.

Happy Birthday dear Papillon!!!!!

we took him for his birthday walk and then gave him his birthday present after shower, he tear his birthday present in 5 minutes but we don't care! : )

I dig out his baby bell and let him wear that today, the one he wore when he first came into our life.

this is Papi at 9 weeks old, I still keep that red ribbon bell he wore and put it on him again today, on his first birthday

by the way, if you haven't know yet, Papi wear a different ribbon/bell every time after we shower him, mostly once a week, so by looking at the ribbon, I'd know when the photo was taken, my hubby thinks that I am crazy that way, LOL!

If you don't know the story of how Papi came into our life, you can read about it HERE!

We want a dog but we travel a lot and KNEW that we can't have one, I don't know how one Saturday shopping at Pier 1 changed everything, but it did! Sometimes when I hold him in my arms, I still can't believe we have a dog.

July 16

We just need to take a few photos on our deck to mark this special day of Papillon.

Photo in September when we first got Papi, he was 9 weeks old then

photo today when Papi is ONE!

just look at how much he has grown in a year

I love your Papillon!!!!

Well, I also do a bit of canning today

jalapenos straight from our garden to the can

Liz left a comment on this post asking for the recipe, HERE you go Liz!

Ingredients:

10 or more large Jalapenos, trim the stem and slice

2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

1 cup distilled white vinegar

1 cup filtered water

4 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon salt

*note - I tried 2 tablespoon salt, my husband loves it but I think it is a little too salty for me so I reduced half of the salt for the 2nd batch.

Method:

In a medium sauce pan combine the garlic, water, vinegar, sugar and salt.

Heat to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Once at a boil, add sliced jalapenos pressing them so they are submerged under the pickling liquids.

Remove the pot off the heat and let them sit for 10-15 minutes.

Use tongs to transfer the jalapenos into a clean jar.

Ladle the picking juice over top until you’ve reached the top of the jar.

Let cool at room temperature before securing a lid and popping them into the fridge.

Should last a long while if kept refrigerated in a airtight jar.

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Still on the road, I will visit you when I come home.