Name: Recipe for Crusty Whole Wheat Baguette
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Yield: 30 (½-inch) slices
Cuisine: Bread
Ingredients: 1 1/2 water; 1 applesauce; 2 liquid sweetener of your choice; 1 1/2 lecithin granules; 1 1/4 salt; 3 3/4 white whole wheat bread flour; 1 active dry yeast

A baguette with three slices cut off and fanned out in front.

Bread Chewy, Warm, and Comforting

The Basic Whole Wheat Bread recipe is so versatile that it can also be adjusted just slightly and used to produce this French-style loaf with a delightful crunchy yet chewy crust. To complement any pasta meal, spread the bread with roasted garlic, sprinkle with Italian seasoning, and heat under the broiler.

Recipe courtesy of

Heather Leno

Prep Instructions

Yield: 30 (½-inch) slices
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Recipe Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon applesauce
2 tablespoons liquid sweetener of your choice
1 1/2 teaspoons lecithin granules
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 3/4 cups white whole wheat bread flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast

Combine all ingredients in the pan of your bread machine. Turn to dough cycle and start. The ball of dough should not be sticky. If it sticks to the sides of the pan after all the flour has been incorporated, add another tablespoon or two of flour, one at a time.
When dough has risen to the top of the pan, start the mixing cycle again and let it reduce the dough to a ball. Stop the machine and let the dough rise once more.
Prepare a large cookie sheet by lining with parchment paper and sprinkling with cornmeal.
Once dough has risen again, pour it out onto a lightly floured surface, punch down, and roll it into a log about 3 inches thick. Carefully lay log from corner to corner on the cookie sheet.
Using a sharp knife, slash the top of the loaf every 3 inches, making cuts ¼-inch deep. Cover with a piece of parchment and set aside to rise.
Place a pan of hot water on the bottom shelf or floor of your oven. Turn oven to 400°F. Have a spray bottle of water available.
When dough has risen fully double, mist the loaf with water and place cookie sheet in oven. Bake approximately 25 minutes, or until golden and crusty. Check at 20 minutes; if loaf is getting too brown, cover it with parchment while it finishes baking. When done baking, remove loaf to a cooling rack.