Bread Machine Baguettes

This recipe makes 2 flavorful baguettes. They are not the same as what the bread lady from Pezenas delivered to our villa in the South of France, but they'll do . . .

Do not be put off by the number of steps to this recipe -- using the bread machine simplifies this immensely and it really doesn't take much effort on your part!

Ingredients

for the Poolish (starter):

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cups water
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast

Combine the above in the bread machine and set on the Dough cycle. Let sit in the bread machine 6 - 15 hours (the longer the tastier.) Then add the ingredients below to this Poolish mixture:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
2/3 cup water
2 teaspoons sea salt (I use Baleine's from France because it seems authentic)

1 beaten egg (to brush on before baking)

Set the bread machine to Dough again. I like to set the timer so that the dough is ready by the time I wake up.

Remove the dough from the bread machine. Cut dough in half and knead each piece into a 12 - 18" log. Now, I have a strange little contraption in which to bake the baguettes (see photo), but you can just gently lay them on a cookie sheet. Once you're finished here, you can prepare your oven while the dough rises.

Now, a note on the oven: I hear that one of the things that give baguettes their wonderful texture is that the French use special ovens that steam the bread as well as bake it. My attempt at this is to put a large baking pan full of boiling water in the cold oven. Then, I preheat it to 500* F., reducing the temperature to 475* when I put the loves in. Beware upon opening the oven, you will get a faceful of steam if you're not careful!

Once the dough has risen for about 30 minutes, brush on egg mixture, slash the dough several times on a diagonal for extra Frenchiness (see photo) and place in oven for about 25 - 30 minutes.

Remove, allow to cool for at least 5 minutes and then serve with jam, honey, butter and peanut butter. My kids love this for breakfast!

Zucchini cupcakes revisited -- now with chocolate chip streusel!

• Ingredients:
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup safflower oil

2 tbsp. ground flax meal

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Chocolate Chip Streusel:

1 1/4 cups brown sugar
3 TBSP melted butter
3 TBSP flour
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix first three ingredients together, then add chocolate chips. Top each cupcake with around 1 TBSP of streusel mix before putting in oven.


Method:

• Preheat oven to 350*.
• 
  
• 1. In a large bowl beat the eggs. Beat in the sugar and oil. Add the cocoa, vanilla, zucchini and stir well.
• 2. Stir in the flour, flax meal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom. Mix until just moist.
• 3. Pour batter into lightly greased loaf pans, Bundt pan or muffin tins (filling these last 2/3 of the way full.) Bake at 350* for 20 to 25 minutes. Check doneness by sticking a toothpick in the middle.
• 4. Remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack. Store loosely covered.

I like to drizzle a glaze on the Bundt cake or even spread store-bought icing on the cupcakes. My kids love this and I figure it's a good way to use up the zucchini bounty of summer!

NOTE: This makes 2 loaves and about 30 cupcakes. One Bundt cake, of course.

ANOTHER NOTE: Sometimes I even make this in my breadmaker and it couldn't be simpler -- just throw all the ingredients in the pan at once. I think this might be the preferred method because it breaks the grated zucchini up so much that it's not noticeable at all! Plus, it is super easy.

LAST NOTE, I PROMISE: This freezes VERY well, no matter which form you choose to bake.