Baguettes

Pour the water into a mixing bowl. Crumble the yeast into the water and stir until the yeast dissolves. Add the syrup, dough 1 and wheat flour and knead thoroughly for 15 minutes, by hand or in an electric mixer at low speed. Add the salt and work the dough vigorously, at high speed, for 5 minutes. Put the dough in an oiled plastic tub with a lid and leave it to stand for 2 1/2 hours. Put the dough on the worktop and divide it into two or three pieces. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rest for 15 minutes. Shape the dough into baguettes. The dough will be very loose, so just pull it into lengths and place on a floured tea towel. Pull the towel up around the sides of the baguettes so that they rise up instead of spreading sideways. Leave to rise for 1 ½ hours. Put a baking tray in the oven and set the oven temperature to 250 °C. Put the baking parchment with the baguettes into the oven. Pour 50 ml of cold water into the oven and immediately close the door. After 5 minutes, lower the temperature to 200 °C. After a further 10 minutes, open the oven door to let in some air. Repeat after another 10 minutes. Bake for a total of 30 minutes. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

The baguettes can be flavoured with 1-2 grated garlic cloves.