Mini Baguette (No Knead Overnight dough)

Finally! This is my first successful attempt at baking bread.

I had several failed attempts at baking bread and nearly gave up until I tasted my friend’s artisan bread. A few weeks later, I was at her house learning to bake bread. I identified two major reasons my bread making attempt failed. Firstly it was my kneading technique. Secondly, I had a finicky oven and it was not warm enough.

After buying a new oven, I notice that most of my cakes end up being cooked at less than the predicted time. And I thought… it is time to try bread again. Fingers Crossed.

I chose a basic no knead recipe and reduce the portion.

Mini Baguette Recipe

Makes 2

(Adapted from kingarthurflour & Jeff Hertzberg)

• 270g all purpose flour
• 170ml  water (62% baker’s % water)
• ¾ tsp yeast
• ¾ tsp salt

Method

Day 1 (2 hours 15 minutes)

1. Mix yeast and room temperature water into bowl

2. Add flour and salt

3. Mix it and knead it in bowl for 2-3 mins

4. Leave it at room temperature for 2 hours with a damp tea towel covering the bowl.

5. It would have doubled in size after 2 hours. Put it in the fridge with a cling film covering the bowl overnight.

Day 2 Part 1 (2 hours)

1. Take the overnight dough

2. Divide it into two and shape it slightly rectangular.

3. Sprinkle some flour on counter top.

4. Use fingers on one hand to fold the dough horizontally and heel of other hand to press it down. Do it three times. (Video from 21:43- 25:15)

5. Place it on a floured folded tea towel to retain its shape and cover it. Leave it for 1 and a half hours at room temperature.

Day 2 Part 2 (30 minutes)

6. 1 hour 15 min later, preheat oven to 220°C

7. When oven is ready (15 mins later), roll it onto a parchment paper lined baking tray

8. Make a few slashes on baguette using a knife.

9. Add some water or ice cubes into a bottom tray to create steam.

10. Bake baguette for 20-30 mins until brown. Test it by knocking it. It will give a hollow sound.

Piglet mentioned that the mini baguette size reminded him of banh mi (Vietnamese baguette). It actually fit my small baking tray and we ate one each.

Glad that it worked! Will be trying more bread recipes…