Ah, to be able to stroll to a market everyday and pick up flowers and a fresh baguette for dinner. I love the sound of that, don’t you?
Enter the real world.
Tiny town. Check. Cute but small grocery store that closes at 7 or 8. Check. Long, frigid winters that make outdoor markets limited to 4 months of the year. Check.
What’s a girl to do?
The next best thing (or THE best thing) is to create my own baguette happiness. French bread is easy to make and has limited ingredients. Why not whip some up for dinner tonight?
French Bread
1 Tablespoon melted butter (no substitutes)
1/2 Tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon yeast
5-6 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 egg, whipped with a fork
Dissolve yeast and sugar in water. Let it stand until yeast is frothy. Add the rest of the ingredients except the egg. Knead 10 minutes, then place in a greased bowl. Cover and let dough raise until double in size (30-60 minutes). Roll and shape dough in as many loaves as you would like, then place on a greased cookie sheet. Let the dough raise, cut slits in the top, and then baste with the egg. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees and cook 10 minutes more.
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