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Whole Wheat Baguettes

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Whole Wheat  Baguettes – Delicious french baguettes made with hearty wheat flour. Perfect crumb and crust. Amazing side to every meal and especially with pasta. You’ll love the flavor and the soft interior.

Whole Wheat French Baguettes

I’m a bread girl from way back. I know carbs get a bad rap but I just can’t make myself stay away from them. I just can’t. So….in order to make me think I can get away with it I just make wheat baguettes.

Now I’m eating healthy grains and getting in my carb quota too. Win-win. These particular baguettes are not all whole wheat but they are about 1/2 whole wheat, 1/2 all purpose. They proved to be quite tasty, providing the great flavor of whole wheat without bitterness.

Wheat baguettes | Carmel Moments

These paired perfectly with soup night. You know the soups, right? I just make soup all the time around here. You probably think we eat soup every day. Well, not quite but when we do I am very proud to serve up some delicious home made bread with it. Perfect dinner. Or lunch. Done!

When I make baguettes I love to picture being in France and just walking down the streets and picking out fresh bread from the baskets. In my day dream I always envision myself eating an entire loaf as I float down the beautiful streets. Actually, I may have a perfect turquoise bicycle with a bread basket attached. On my way, I grab some flowers and cheese too.

Wheat Baguettes | Carmel Moments

I glide on home and serve this wonderful bread and cheese to my happy family. *Special note* This family is happy. There is zero arguing. Just, “Hi Mother. How was your trip into town? What variety of cheese and bread did you pick out today? Would you like us to help you cut things up? We already got the table ready and poured some fresh tea.”

Screech. Melanie, that daydream went a little too far. You know that ain’t ever happening. Well, it was fun while it lasted. Just kick me in the pants and I’ll get back to work and leave you daydreaming instead. Where do your daydreams sometimes take you?

Love and blessings to you,

Melanie

Whole Wheat Baguettes

 

French Baguette Dual Loaf Bread Pan was purchased from Amazon. This pizza paddle makes the taking the bread to and from the oven so much easier. I also use the 12 inch Lodge Skillet to get the crisp exterior that I love! This recipe makes 3 baguettes. I placed two on the the baguette pan and baked those on the cast iron pan. I baked the third on a small stone beside it on the same rack. If you have a baking stone, use it and you will get a perfect crust on your breads! Have fun baking!

 

Whole Wheat French Baguettes

Wheat Baguettes

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Servings 3 16" loaves

Ingredients
  

Pre-ferment

  • 1 cup 4 ounces traditional whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup 4 ounces cool water
  • pinch of instant yeast

Dough

  • All of the pre-ferment
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons 7 ounces cool water
  • 1/4 cup 2 ounces orange juice
  • 1 1/4 cups 5 ounces traditional whole wheat flour
  • 2 1/4 cups 9 1/2 ounces unbleached bread flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast

Instructions
 

To prepare the pre-ferment:

  • Mix the pre-ferment ingredients in a small bowl, cover and let rest overnight at room temperature.

To prepare the dough:

  • Combine all ingredients, and mix and knead them- by hand, mixer or bread machine - until you have a dough that's cohesive, but whose surface is still a bit rough. If you use bread machine, cancel after about 7 minutes of kneading. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and allow to rise for 3 to 4 hours, gently deflating and turning over once each hour.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 3 pieces. Shape each into a rough, slightly flattened oval. Cover with greased plastic and let rise 15 minutes. Lightly grease a large baking sheet or line with parchment.
  • Working with one piece of dough at a time, keeping the others covered, fold dough in half lengthwise, and seal the edges with the heel of your hand. Flatten it slightly, and fold and seal again. With seam side down, cup your fingers and gently roll the dough into a 16 inch log.
  • Place them on the prepared pan. Cover with lightly greased plastic and allow to rise 30 minutes. Drape gently with heavily greased plastic wrap (don't anchor the wrap to the edges of the pan), and refrigerate overnight. The next day let loaves rest at room temperature for about 1 1/2 hours, covered with proof cover or lightly greased plastic wrap, before baking.
  • About 30 minutes before you're ready to bake the baguettes, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. If you're using a stone place it on the lowest shelf.

To bake baguettes:

  • Uncover. Lift them along with parchment onto a peel, and then transfer them to stone. If you're using a baking sheet, simply place the sheet on the middle of the rack of the oven.
  • Bake for 18 minutes, cover lightly with foil. Bake for additional 5 minutes, until they're deep golden brown. Best served the same day.

*Notes*

  • I use my Lodge cast iron pizza pan for bread to give it the crisp outside that we love.
  • I used the perforated aluminum french baguette pan. I purchased from Amazon. There's a link included in the post if you want to check it out.
  • I also use my bamboo paddle for getting bread to the hot stone and back to the counter without burning myself. There's a link included for that as well.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Recipe from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

Linked to: Show Stopper Saturday @ Joyful Healthy Eats

Comments

  5. Alyssa @ My Sequined Life says

    Ooooh those loaves look amazing! I’ve rarely met a carb I haven’t gotten along famously with, but breads with a crispy crust and soft and chewy inside juuust might be my favorite. Loving the fact that you used a mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour here. I’d so love to dunk a slice into homemade soup right now! 🙂

    Reply

  11. Diana says

    I’m a big fan of homemade bread, I never buy bread I just bake it at home. I will definitely try this recipe this weekend although I don’t have a special baguette baking tray… but I will let you know how do they turn out! 🙂

    Reply

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