Baguettes at home? Really?

I'm not much of a bread baker, but this recipe seemed so easy I had to try it.  It is very good for a home oven, is quick and easy.   I found it on Pinterest (of course) posted from Babble's  website you can find it there and below is my version.  It was a big hit and yes it is those ice cubes that make a big difference in the crispy crust.

Baguette

Preheat oven to 400°

Ingredients:

2 c very warm water (about 180°)

1 pkt yeast

2 T sugar

1 1/2 t salt

3-4 c flour

3-4 ice cubes

Directions:

Stir first 3 ingredients together and sit in warm spot for 10 min. (preheating oven works fine).

Mix flour and salt add to mixture dough should be soft and sticky knead till elastic.  Section into 4 pieces and roll into cords, twist 2 together to form one baguette.  Score top of bread for a nice look.  If you like a glossy look brush dough with beaten egg before baking.

Bake on parchment lined baking sheet right away or you can allow to rise 15-30 min if you prefer.  When you place baking sheet into oven throw the ice cubes into a cast iron pan on bottom rack baking sheet should be on rack above that, keep oven door closed for 15 min check bread remove when outside crust is golden brown.  

White Wedding Cake Recipe

After years of getting recipes from reading cookbooks, magazines, watching TV cooking shows, I can't believe this but I am finding recipes I just have to try on "pinterest".  If you haven't visited this site yet you'll want to check it out.  It is a way to collect favorite things and "pinning" them to a "board" so when you move on to another site and then try to remember where you saw something you can still find it.  It reminds me of clipping out magazine ideas and collecting them but now its online so no searching, organizing or storing involved......that is a huge plus.  I definitely spend more time finding things then pinning things, but luckily there are lots of people out there pinning things for me to find.  So I first saw a picture of this cake on pinterest and when I saw how simple the recipe looked I had to try it.  I get asked for the recipe every time I make it, so Thank you recipe girl for putting this out there for all of us! The recipe was at recipegirl 's site ---a blog that is full of great recipes and ideas.

White Wedding Cake


Ingredients:
1 box white cake mix
1 c all-purpose flour
1c granulated sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/3 c water
2 T vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 c sour cream  (I used plain Greek yogurt)
4 large egg whites

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease and flour pans, line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix first 4 dry ingredients, then add rest of ingredients and blend with hand mixer for 2 minutes or till well blended.

Pour batter into pans, leaving about 1 inch to top of pan for cake to rise.  Bake 35-40 min or till toothpick comes out clean.  Do not over bake start checking cake at about 25-30 min.

Enough batter for 3 layers using 9" pans.


Allow to cool before frosting.

Buttercream Icing

Ingredients:

3 c powdered sugar
1 c butter--softened
1 tsp pure vanilla
1-2 T cream (calls for heavy but I used 1/2 & 1/2)

Directions:

Mix sugar and butter till well blended, then add vanilla.  Add cream a little at a time till desired consistency.  Spread on cooled cake.