Perfect Bread Machine Baguettes

Most Vietnamese people love the baguette, which is also known as French bread. Making baguettes is quite complex and time-consuming. Therefore, many home cooks like me always feel intimidated when it comes to making this bread. Thanks to the bread machine, I no longer feel that way. After years of looking for a good bread machine baguette recipe, I can finally share one with you here, which is a definite keeper.

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 tbs oil or butter
3 cups bread flour
1 tbs active dry yeast

Cornmeal and flour for dusting

Directions:
Place all the ingredients (except the cornmeal) in the bread pan in the order listed above. Select the Dough setting and press start.
When the dough cycle is complete and the dough has risen enough, the machine will beep. Turn off the bread machine and remove the dough from the bread pan. Place the dough onto floured countertop.

Shape the dough into 12-inch oblong loaves or 4 small baguettes.

Dust the top of loaves with cornmeal and flour. If using baguette pans, sprinkle the pans with a lot of cornmeal and flour. Place the dough onto the pans.

With a sharp knife or razor blade, slash the top of the baguette straight down the center about 1/2 in deep or make 2 diagonal slashes.

 Cover the pans with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for another hour or until the dough is double in size. A baking sheet can be used if a baguette pan is not available.

Preheat oven set to 450° 15 minutes before the dough is ready to bake. At the bottom of the oven, place a pan filled with hot water (while baking, this will create the steam necessary to produce an authentic, crispy crust). When the baguettes are ready to bake, spray each with water. Open the oven quickly and spray again with water. Place the baguettes into the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Open the oven quickly and spray with water again and let the baguettes finish baking for another 20 to 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown