mini baguettes for sale at Paradox on Friday

I just delivered my second batch of bread to the old Paradox cafe! I only made 12 this time instead of 18, mostly because I'm hoping to sell all of them. It turned out that last time I didn't sell 4 :( , so I made less this time. It's hard because two other people also sell pastries on Fridays, and not that many people buy food there. But I think this will work.

In any case, the most interesting part of this is that I'm learning how to live by the baker schedule:

Starting at 1 AM, when I got home, I made the dough in the bread machine.
At 2:30 AM I put the dough in the fridge and made more dough. You can only make the equivalent of 6 mini baguettes in one batch.
At 4:00 AM the machine broke, so I had to figure out how to fix it. Eventually it worked, and I got two batches of dough ready.
At 6:30 AM I took the dough out of the fridge to get it to room temperature.
From 7:30 to 8:15 AM I shaped the loaves. This took longer than I expected.
At 8:15 AM I started preheating the oven (takes 1 hr) to 450 F (230 C).
At 9:15 AM I scored the bread, put some loaves in the Le Creuset pot, and some on a ceramic baking sheet.
From 9:15 to 10:15 AM I baked all the little baguettes.
At 10:25 AM I delivered the baguettes with butter and Bonne Mamman raspberry preserves.

Now it's 11 AM and I'm going to sleep! I'm nocturnal!

Note 1: I called them baguettes, but they're actually French bread. Baguettes are much harder to make.

Note 2: I messed up sliding some loaves into the oven so they're oddly shaped. Lovely artisan bread.

_______________________________

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour

1/2 tsp yeast

1 1/2 cups water at room temperature

2 tsp salt

Directions (similar to beet bread directions)

Whisk flours and yeast together.

Add water and mix with a wooden spoon.

Knead on a counter until dough forms.

Let rest under plastic for 20 minutes.

Add salt and knead again until well mixed.

Let rise under plastic for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C) at least one our before baking. Remember to put the sheet in the oven before you preheat.

Take out dough, cut in half, and shape on the counter (business letter fold and rolling - watch video for guidance).

Put on a floured towel and cover with plastic. Let rise for an hour.

Slash bread with a razor blade.

Take baking sheet out of oven, put some corn meal on it, put bread on it.

Toss water in the oven to create steam and quickly close.

Bake for 15 minues (30 minutes in Le Creuset) or until golden brown.

Test to see if ready by tapping on bottom. If it sounds hollow, it's ready.

Let cool before slicing.

Alternative: Put all the ingredients in a bread machine and choose the dough setting. When it's done you can shape and bake. Easy!

Dano Wall made the signs.