These are easy to make and taste very similar to the ones we had in Normandy. The secret to the authentic texture and flavour is using French baguette flour if you can get it. I buy mine online from Shipton mill. If you can't buy French flour use half strong white and half plain white flour. I have found it is how you knead the dough that gives it an authentic texture.
Makes 3 X 32cm baguettes
Ingredients
450g white flour,
1 tsp salt
1 7g sachet fast action yeast
1 tbsp oil
Warm water to make a soft dough, 300 ml
Method
Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and stir in the yeast.
Add the water and oil and mix well together.
Bring together with your hands to form a dough.
Place on a lightly floured surface and form into a sausage shape.
Knead by pulling gently lengthways and folding back into the middle from both ends. Always knead in the same direction . Do this for 5 mins.
Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and knead in the same way, making a long baguette shape with each piece.
Place on an oiled baking sheet and cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove for an hour or until double the size.
Brush with beaten egg and milk if you want a traditional glaze.
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6 and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
By RudolfSimon (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
French Baguettes