Preparation time: 15 minutes
Rising time: about 35 to 45 minutes
Baking time: 30 to 35 minutes
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Nothing beats a freshly baked French baguette. To make this bread more quickly (by skipping the rising time) and have a smoother crust, try the cold-oven method outlined below.
Makes 10 slices (one 12-inch baguette)
1. Dissolve the yeast and ½ teaspoon of the sugar in the warm milk. Set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. Line one trench of a nonstick French baguette pan (gray, not black) with parchment paper. (If the pan is perforated, it must be lined with parchment paper or the soft dough will fall through the perforations.)
3. In a medium bowl, combine the yeast-milk mixture, the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar, the flour blend, potato starch, xanthan gum, salt, butter, three-fourths of the egg whites, and the vinegar. With an electric mixer (using regular beaters, not dough hooks), beat on low speed just until blended. Increase the speed to medium-low and beat for 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. The dough will be soft.
4. With a wet spatula, smooth the dough into a 12-inch log in the parchment-lined trench, making the ends blunt rather than tapered for more even baking. Whisk the remaining egg whites with a tablespoon of water and brush on the dough; it helps make a glossier crust. Let the dough rise at room temperature (75°F to 85°F) until doubled in height, 35 to 45 minutes. Bread rises at different rates, depending on altitude, temperature, and humidity, so your bread may take more or less time to rise.
5. While the bread rises, preheat the oven to 425°F. Just before baking, make 3 diagonal slashes (¹/8 inch deep) in the loaf so steam can escape during baking. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds, if using.
6. Bake on a rack in the middle of the oven until nicely browned and an instant-read thermometer registers 200°F to 205°F when inserted into the center of the loaf, 30 to 35 minutes. Tent with aluminum foil after 20 minutes of baking to prevent over-browning. Remove the bread from the pan; cool completely on a wire rack before slicing with a serrated knife or electric knife.
COLD OVEN METHOD FOR FRENCH BAGUETTE Starting bread to bake in a cold oven produces a smoother, crispier crust and a more irregular but attractive artisan-like crumb. The crust is crispier because it dries out a bit as the oven preheats.
Here is how to do it: Do not preheat the oven. Place the pan of unrisen bread on a rack in the middle of the oven; then turn on the oven to 425°F. Bake the baguette until its crust is nicely browned and an instant-read thermometer registers 200°F to 205°F when inserted into the center of the loaf, 35 to 40 minutes. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil over the bread after 15 minutes of baking if it starts to brown too much.
This method works perfectly in my KitchenAid wall oven, but it doesn’t work in all ovens—especially those with quick preheating. Nor does it work with traditional-size loaves (such as 5x9-inch or 4x8-inch), because they are too thick. Try it once in your oven; if it doesn’t work, then use the traditional method of rising the bread outlined in Step 4.
WHAT ABOUT LEFTOVERS? You can keep leftover baguette for a day, tightly sealed on your kitchen counter. If you still have leftovers after a day, freeze the loaf, make croutons or bread crumbs, or cut thin slices and toast the slices for crostini.
Per slice: 115 calories; 2g protein; 1g total fat; 1g fiber; 21g carbohydrates; 3mg cholesterol; 199mg sodium