A recipe for Rob (and other bread fans)

Autumn has truly arrived. As I sit here typing, the rain is drizzling against the window, the sky is  a dull, steely grey and the dog looks like someone pushed him into the river. It's a morning when you need to have the lights on and it would be appropriate to wear a fluffy dressing gown, cause, lets face it, nobody want's to get all cold and wet and miserable.

 Better to stay wrapped up and cosy in front of the fire, watching a Saturday matinee and drinking tea. In fact while my recipe is at work I'm watching my guilty pleasure..Time Team. Yup, I'm a closet archaeology nerd. 

To stop thinking about the rain and dullness outside, I started planning my trip to France. I'm going at the end of October (After my graduation) and cannot wait! I really was born in the wrong country. I LOVE France. Maybe not everything or everyone, but it's pretty much 100/100 for it. My parents started to go camping in France in the 70's with nothing but a two person tent, a bread knife, a dodgy camping stove and a bottle opener. Though they lost the bread knife after leaving it in the boot of a person who gave them a lift when hitch-hiking. When I was born, I was brought along, aged 13 weeks for my first camping trip to France, and since then I've returned every year bar two. 

I can only imagine the consternation caused by losing the bread knife back then for my parents. Cause you really need  a bread knife in France. Ummmmm bread...French bread. Sure, you can rip it apart and devour it with your hands..but..come on..it deserves more respect than that. Think of all the hard work that went into making it, be it the world famous baguette or a more rustic pain de campagne. Love and lots of yeast went into the making of them, and damned if I'm going to act like a savage (even if I could eat a whole baguette on my own). I'm already planning on eating my weight in bread and cheese and passing the week in a wine fuzz.I can't not go to France and not be excited by the food. I've been all over and can't decide where is my favourite region. Alsace? The Midi-Pyrenees? The Lot? the Dordogne? Normandy? Asking me to chose would be like asking God to pick his favourite person..I love them all. This short trip will take me to Brittany, along the coast from Roscoff to Dinan, Dinard, St.Malo all the way up into Normandy and Cherbourg. And I cannot wait for the bread. 

To get myself in the mood for la belle cuisine de France I decided today's recipe would be for the king of breads - the baguette. Now, this isn't a traditional recipe for baguettes..its a shortcut. A cheat, if you will. It still takes time (As all recipes with yeast do) but it doesn't require the overnight wait for a sponge. Anyone who watches The Great British Bake Off (so glad autumn tv has this!!)will know Paul Hollywood. The silver fox. The Liverpudlian Master baker who makes middle aged women go weak at the knees. I don't see the attraction. The accent alone would drive me demented. But he is a great baker. This recipe is one of his and was shown on his bread show earlier this year. 

You will need:

250g strong white flour (extra for baking)

5g salt

5g fast action dried yeast

30ml olive oil

180ml water

1. Place the flour, salt, yeast, olive oil and most of the water in a mixing bowl with a dough hook attachment. Don't let the yeast and salt mix, otherwise the yeast will activate too soon. If you don't have a mixer you can do it by hand (with your hands that is, not with a spoon)but it will take more time

2.Start mixing at a slow speed, gradually adding the remaining water until you have a smooth dough.With a mixer this takes about 5 mins, by hand it could take 10.

3.Put the dough into an oiled bowl and cover. Leave in a warm place (again, I use the oven -see doughnut recipe) to prove for 2 hours. 

4.Tip the dough onto an oiled surface. Dust your hands with flour and divide the dough in two.

5. Knock back the dough (punch it once or twice till the air is gone) stretch, and fold. Roll them into a baguette shape.

6.Place on a large baking tray, cover (with a tea towel) and leave to prove until doubled in size.

7.Heat a roasting dish in the bottom of the oven and pour in some water. This will create steam which will help the crust to form

8. Preheat the oven to 220c/Gas 7

9. Just before baking, slash the top of  each baguette three times.

10.Bake the baguettes for 30 mins. Then drop the temperature to 200c/gas 6 and cook for a further 10 mins.

11. The baked baguettes should be golden brown. Cool and enjoy with plain with butter or with a nice cheese.