French Demi-Baguettes
​The baguette is a long, narrow wand-like loaf of bread magic. It's the perfect crunchy bite. We love to make them fresh and often use them as our base for sandwiches. The loaves are easy to identify because of their length and crisp crust. They are typically just over two feet in length and about two to two and a half inches in diameter. The demi baguettes in this recipe are about a foot long.

PREP TIME: 1 Hour 10 Minutes COOK TIME:15 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Package Fast Acting Dry Yeast -  21 Calories
• 2 tsp. Granulated Sugar - 32 Calories
  
• 1 Cups Warm Water - 0 Calories
  
• 1 1/2 Cups Unbleached Bread Flour - 660 Calories
  
• 1 tsp. Salt - 0 Calories
  
• 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning Herbs - 4 Calories
  
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil - 238 Calories
  

SERVES 4: 239 Calories per 1/2 Loaf

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
   
2. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in 1 cup of warm water into the well.
   
3. You may need to add anywhere from a couple tablespoons to about 1/4 cup of water. The dough should be moist and firm after you have mixed it.
   
4. On a floured countertop, knead the dough for about 5-10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.
   
5. Lightly brush a large bowl with oil and turn the dough to coat. Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel. Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes until the dough doubles in size.
   
6. Punch the dough down, and divide the dough into 2 equal sized pieces. Shape each piece into long, thin loaves about 10" in length.
   
7. Place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Brush the tops of each of your baguettes with olive oil. Add 4 diagonal slices with a sharp knife across the tops of the baguettes.
   
8. Preheat oven to 450°F.
   
9. Cover loaves with a damp kitchen towel and allow to rest for 30 more minutes.
   
10. ​Sprinkle Italian herbs over the top of both loaves.
    
11. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown.
    
12. Cool on a wire rack or serve warm.

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