Shaping a Baguette. When I use my gluten free bread flour blend to make baguettes, I shape them a bit differently, much like I do our Olive Garden style soft breadsticks. To shape each baguette, use lightly floured hands to gently press one half of dough into an 8- by 5-inch rectangle or football shape. Next, fold over the left side to the middle, then the right side to the middle, overlapping slightly. Slash each baguette twice lengthwise before baking. November 19, 2015. These are referred to as “straight” or “tapered” Baguettes. In the end, you'll have a tube that tapers consistently from the middle out to the ends. For Baguettes, batons, or batards, gently stretch the dough into a circle. https://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--1120/creating-bread-shapes.asp Round each piece of dough into a rough ball by pulling the edges into the center. Fold the top third down and the bottom third up as if … When you’re ready to shape the baguettes, sprinkle your counter with a little flour and turn the dough out on top. https://www.allrecipes.com/article/forming-and-baking-baguettes Do not make slashes that are too deep. It’s easy to carry, easy to slice, and makes for a baseball bat substitute when in need. Here’s the dough after first rise. How to Make Hot Chicken 2 Different Ways. To shape a baguette, give a gentle patting folding and pressing with the heel of your hand as if you were folding a business letter. This should prevent the dough from sticking. Have you ever wondered exactly why the baguette is the shape it is? Shape each piece into a rough, slightly flattened oval, cover with greased plastic wrap, and let rest for 15 minutes. Sprinkle more flour on top of the dough and knead it for a minute or two until the flour is absorbed and the dough is no longer quite so crazy-sticky. It's worth showing more detail on the sealing portion of this technique (steps 3 and 4). Layer with your favorite filling; we like mustard, ham, and Swiss cheese. Repeat with second dough. The dough is 62.5% hydration with 11 ounces / 310 grams of whole wheat bread flour and 21 ounces / 600 grams of white bread flour. Keep repeating, stretching out your dough-rectangle lengthwise until it’s about 12 to 14 inches long and two inches wide. The physical length of these baguettes will ultimately be determined by the size of your baking stone. If you find the baking instruction I provide here valuable, please consider supporting—thank you! Stretch those rectangles as much as you can. Cover with towel and rest 1 … Note that during this rolling it's best to keep your fingertips and palms in contact with the bench at all times. Shaping baguette loaf requires technique for proper proofing and achieving a beautiful looking loaf. The Perfect Loaf is supported in part by the  generosity of its readers. Elongate each baguette, by rolling it back and forth on the work surface with both hands over the center of the loaf and work them out to the ends until the baguette reaches the desired length. You want to shape the loaf along the grain of the dough to promote a big rise. Here's how they make their version, and also how it's done in Nashville. Carefully transfer the dough to the floured towel and tuck it on both sides to … Insider deals and recipes. Then, as you're rolling with one hand, gradually start rolling with two hands and continue back and forth to taper out the tube. If you'd like to try your hand at a baguette with freshly milled flour, my Kamut demi-baguettes would also fit the bill. Baguettes look tricky, but making them properly at home only requires a few simple techniques. Working from the center outward, apply a gentle downward pressure, rolling the dough back and forth on the work surface. 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