Incredients:
1 cup tepid water1/2 cup tepid milk
1 tbsp instant yeast
3 1/4 cup King Arthur all purpose or bread flour
egg wash made by beating 1 egg white with 1 tablespoon water
sea salt
caraway seeds
Equipment:
Baking stone or rimless baking sheet
cast-iron skillet
bench scraper or chef's knife
Rolling Pin (If not available, an empty straight wine bottle will do)
parchment paper
plastic wrap
Pour the water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast, flour, and salt, and stir with a rubber spatula just until all the water and milk is absorbed and a dry, clumpy dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for 20 minutes, to allow the flour to absorb the water/milk mix.
Use the dough hook of a stand mixer and mix the dough on low speed (2 on a KitchenAid mixer) for 8 to 10 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled, clear, 2-quart, straight-sided container with a lid. With masking tape, mark the spot on the container where the dough will be once it has increased 1½ times in volume. Cover and leave it to rise at room temperature (70 to 75 degrees) for 45 minutes. It will increase by about 25 percent.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour and, using a bench scraper or spatula, empty the risen dough out of the container. Pat it gently into a rectangle, about 6 by 8 inches, and fold it into thirds like a business letter. With the short side facing you, lift the top edge and fold it into the center of the rectangle; lift the near edge and fold it into the center so that it overlaps the top edge by about 1 inch. Quickly slide both hands under the dough and flip it over so the folds are underneath. Slip it back into the container, pushing it down to fit. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm and draft-free spot until it expands, reaching halfway to the masking tape mark, 45 minutes.
About 45 minutes before baking, place a baking stone on the middle rack of the oven and a cast-iron skillet on the lower rack. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. If you are baking the breads on a baking sheet, it’s only necessary to preheat the oven about 20 minutes before baking.
Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Uncover the dough and turn it out onto the work surface. With a bench scraper or chef’s knife, cut the dough into 3 equal pieces and form a ball with each one. Sprinkle the pieces of dough with flour and lightly drape them with plastic wrap. Let them relax on the counter for 10 minutes.
With a rolling pin roll out each ball into an 6"-8" round, cut into 8 triangles and roll each triangle from the long side towards the pointy edge.
Brush sticks with egg wash and sprinkle with kosher salt and caraway seeds. When done cover with plastic wrap and let stand for another 30 -45 minutes.
Slide the salt sticks, still on the parchment, onto the hot baking stone or rimless baking sheet.
Place ½ cup of ice in the hot cast-iron skillet and slide back onto the lower rack to produce steam. Bake the sticks until caramel-colored, 15 to 20 minutes.
Slide the peel or baking sheet under the parchment paper to remove the Sticks from the oven. Slide them, still on the parchment paper, onto a wire rack to cool. Eat them warm or at room temperature. Freeze leftover baguettes in resealable plastic bags for up to 1 month.
Instead of caraway seed and salt, use sesame seeds or sunflower seeds.
Instead of caraway seed and salt, use sesame seeds or sunflower seeds.
