Soft French Bread

Prepare the Baguette dough
Into a bowl, add in the lukewarm water, honey/sugar, salt, yeast and stir to dissolve the ingredients in water.
Water should be slightly warm and not hot.Preferably 95 F or warm as that of a baby food.
Add the melted butter into this.
Now add in the flour little by little.
Stir and combine.
Using hands feel the dough and make sure there are no dry patches left behind or there are no lumps in the dough.
Form it into a dough ball.

First Proofing
Wrap the bowl with a plastic film and let the dough stand rise in a warm environment for 30 minutes.
This proofing time may vary according to the ambient temperature.
If the room temperature is cold, it may take around 45 minutes.

Divide the Baguette dough
After 30 minutes of rising, our dough has risen slightly (that’s okay our baguettes will be light and soft).
Transfer the dough on to a lightly floured work surface.
Degas the dough.
Divide the dough into three equal parts.
Take one portion, tuck in the edges towards the center and form it into a round ball.
Place three dough balls and cover them with a bowl or kitchen towel. This will help the surface of the dough, not to get dry.
Keep them covered for 8-10 minutes.

Shape the baguettes
After 10 minutes, take the dough balls one by one.
Place it on a lightly floured work surface so that the seam side is up.
Using hands or using a rolling pin flatten the dough.
I made one end very thin so that it will easy while shaping.
Roll it just as we roll a jelly roll.
Then elongate the dough gently while rolling so that each of them is approximately 20 cm in length.
Pinch the ends to seal.
Place the shaped french bread on to a baking sheet.
Now our shaped French baguettes are ready for the final rising.

Final rising
Cover the baguettes with a damp kitchen towel.
Let the dough sit and rise in warm environment for 45 – 50 minutes.
After the final rising, lets give and egg wash to the baguettes.
Lightly beat one egg and brush it on the surface of the risen baguettes.
This egg wash will give a nice shine and golden color to our French bread when baked.
Score the bread dough (almost .25 cm deep slash), with a sharp knife.

Bake the soft French Baguettes
Place the baking tray into the 375 F or 190 C preheated oven.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes.

To make the crust even softer, smear the top with some butter.