Kittencals Soft White Baguette Style Bread Recipes

KITTENCAL'S OLD FASHIONED WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Fit a heavy-duty stand mixer with kneader blade.
• In a small saucepan scald 1/2 cup milk with 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons salt until very warm stirring with a spoon until no sugar or salt granules remain; set aside until luke-warm (for faster cooling place in the fridge for about 15-20 minutes on your top fridge shelf).
• Place 4 cups white flour and 3 tablespoons shortening (or lard) in the stainless steel mixing bowl along with the warm milk mixture; cover bowl with a towel to keep the milk warm.
• In a cup mix together 1-1/4 cups warm water with 2 teaspoons sugar, mix with a spoon until the sugar is dissolved; add in 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast, stir with a spoon for about 15 seconds.
• Place a towel over the cup and proof for about 8-10 minutes or until foamy.
• Place the water/yeast mixture in the bowl.
• Start mixing/kneading add in more flour as needed to create a soft smooth dough (about 8 minutes).
• Remove the dough to a very lightly floured surface; cover with a clean tea towel and let rest for about 5-8 minutes.
• Gather up the dough and shape into a ball, then place in a large well greased bowl.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour (I use my oven!).
• Punch down the dough and place on a surface.
• Using hands (not a rolling pin) flatten to a 10 x 14-inch rectangle (trust me this dough will shape beautifully, no need for a rolling pin!).
• Roll the dough up tightly then seal the long seam.
• Using a knife slice off the dough ends just enough to fit into your 8x4-inch pan, then pinch the dough ends together to seal (you can shape the two ends in a ball and freeze to make buns or discard the dough).
• Place in a dark metal 8 x 4-inch bread pan.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 30-40 minutes or until doubled.
• Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

KITTENCAL'S SOFT WHITE BAGUETTE-STYLE BREAD

Steps:

• Prepare one large cookie sheet lined with foil and sprayed with non-stick cooking spray or sprinkled with yellow cornmeal.
• Attach the kneader blade to a heavy-duty stand mixer.
• In the stainless steel bowl, dump 3 cups flour (to start) 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Melt the butter or Crisco shortening in the microwave for about 22 seconds then dump into the bowl with the flour, sugar and salt.
• In a small cup add in the yeast with 1 teaspoon sugar in 1-1/4 cups warm water; cover with small clean cloth, and proof the yeast for 8-10 minutes, stirring just once with a small spoon or whisk (if the yeast doesn't foam discard and start again).
• After 10 minutes, add in the yeast/water mixture into the bowl and start kneading, adding in more flour as needed to create a soft semi-sticky dough (careful not to add in too much flour, as this will create a heavy bread!).
• Knead for 7-8 minutes, or until dough is the right texture and is smooth.
• Remove dough from the bowl, and let sit on a lightly floured surface covered with a clean tea towel for 10 minutes (this is important!).
• After 10 minutes, knead very gently (dough will come together nicely).
• Form into a semi-round ball.
• Grease a large glass bowl (I just use the same stainless steel bowl that I made the dough in).
• Place the dough in the oiled bowl; cover with a clean tea towel and set in a warm place to rise aproximmately 1 hour.
• Punch down dough and remove to a floured surface.
• At this point you may cut the dough in half to make two small long breads, or keep into one piece for one large loaf.
• Using hands shape into a rectangle (no need to use a rolling pin this dough will shape very easy).
• Roll up tightly then seal all edges.
• Cover the shaped loaf/s with a clean dry tea towel, and let rise for about 30-35 minutes in a warm place.
• After rising set oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a small cup whisk/mix together 1 egg white with 1 teaspoon cold water.
• Lightly brush the egg white mixture over the dough, then sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
• Bake for 25-33 minutes, or until bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
• Delicious!

KITTENCAL'S FRENCH BREAD/BAGUETTE (KITCHEN AID MIXER STAND MIXER

Steps:

• Attach the dough hook to heavy duty stand mixer.
• In a small cup or bowl mix 1 teaspoon sugar into 1 cup warm water until combined.
• Stir in 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast and mix gently.
• Cover the cup and allow to proof until foamy (about 8 minutes, if the yeast does not foam discard and make again).
• Place 5-1/2 cups flour in the stainless steel mixing bowl along with the salt, sugar and 5 tablespoons oil.
• After the yeast has proofed add to the bowl along with remaining 1 cup warm water.
• Start kneading process adding in more flour a tablespoon at a time as needed to create a soft smooth semi-sticky dough (kneading should take about 8 minutes).
• Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface; cover with a clean tea towel and let rest for 3 minutes (this is important, allow to sit for 3 minutes).
• Oil a large deep bowl.
• Gather up the dough and gently knead into a ball (the dough will come together easily after resting).
• Place the dough into the bowl, then cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for about 1 hour or until doubled.
• Punch down the dough and remove to a lightly floured surface.
• Divide the dough evenly in half.
• Cover both pieces of dough and allow to rest for 5 minutes (this will make shaping the dough easier).
• Roll each dough into about a 9 x 12-inch rectangle, then roll up jelly-roll fashion starting at long edge.
• Seal edges and seam of each loaf.
• Grease a large jelly-roll pan then sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons cornmeal.
• Place the two long shaped loaves onto the pan seam-side down spacing apart.
• Using a razor blade or a small sharp knife slash each loaf 3 times diagonally.
• In a small cup whisk an egg white then brush over each loaf.
• Sprinkle the tops with about 2 teaspoons seasme seeds for each loaf.
• Cover with a clean tea towel and allow to rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.