Recipe - Crusty Whole-Wheat Baguettes

One half cup Plus 1 tablespoon cold water
1 One half teaspoon Salt
3 tablespoon Honey
1 cup Wholewheat flour
One half cup Bread flour
Oil and cornmeal for pan

These baguettes are crusty, deep brown and dusted with flour. The dough can
also be shaped into a round and backed on a pizza pan, preferably black
steel. Slash the loaves with a sharp knife or with the metal blade of a
food processor (hold it carefully by the center hub); deep slashes make a
greatlooking baguette.

Basic Sponge

In processor fitted with metal blade, Mix Basic Sponge with water, salt,
and honey until smooth. Combine flours. (If processor is standard size
remove half of sponge mixture and add flours in two batches.) Add combines
flours, One fourth cup at a time, pulsing several times to incorporate each
addition. Then process dough until supple, elastic and sticking slightly to
work bowl, about 1 minute, adding more water or flour by teaspoon, if dough
is either too dry or too wet. Dough should be very sticky.

Transfer dough to large plastic bag, squeeze out all air and seal tightly
at top of bag to allow enough room for dough to expand. Set bag in bowl and
let dough rise in warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.

Oil double baguette bread pan. Sprinkle bottom lightly with cornmeal. Punch
dough down, place on generously floured surface and divide in half. Pat
each piece into rectangle. Start on long side to roll up dough. Pinch seams
to seal. Gently stretch to fit pan, if necessary. Place dough seam side
down, in pan. Sprinkle flour lightly over top. Cover loosely with plastic.
(Can be refrigerated at this point for several hours. Remove from
refrigerator about 1 One half hours before baking.) Let dough rise in warm spot
until doubled, about 50 minutes or longer if previously refrigerated. Slash
surface.

About 15 minutes before baking, put rack on bottom of oven at set 1 t 475
degrees F. Place bread in oven, then immediately turn down heat to 425
degrees F. bake baguettes until deeply browned and sounding hollow when
rapped on bottom. About 15 to 18 minutes. Immediately remove from pan.
Place on wire rack.Makes 2 baguettes, or 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

239 calories; 445 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 2.7 grams fat; 49 grams
carbohydrates; 7.2 grams protein; 0.7 grams fiber; 10% calories from fat.

Recipe from : Los Angeles Times Newspaper, Cooking section, Thursday March
05, 1992 By Abby Mandel.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini