Thyme & Olives French Baguette

Directions

Add milk into a small saucepan, bring to a boil.

Stir in butter and sugar until butter melts and sugar dissolves.

Transfer mixture into a large bowl.

Stir in 1 cup room-temperature water and cool mixture until lukewarm (85°F to 95°F), 8 to 12 minutes.

Stir in yeast until well blend.

Add olives, thyme and salt.

Stir in 1 cup flour with a wooden spoon until just mixed and most.

Stir in another 3 cups flour, 1 cup at once, and mix with the wooden spoon until incorporated after each addition.

Add up to ⅓ cup more flour if needed until dough is smooth and begins to pull away from sides of bowl.

Coat a large bowl with cooking spray or oil it.

Transfer dough to bowl, coat the dough with cooking spray or brush with some oil.

Cover with plastic wrap or kitchen towel.

To make ahead:

Chill dough overnight.

To make at the same day:

Allow dough to rise in warm area until doubled in volume, 50 to 60 minutes (do not punch down dough during the rising).

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 500°F.

Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Turn dough out onto floured working surface (to avoid deflating, do not punch down dough and do not knead dough).

Cut dough into 2 equal portions.

Gently form (do not knead) each piece into baguette 15 inches long by 2¼ to 2½ inches wide (dough will not be smooth).

Transfer baguettes to prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly apart.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap.

Allow to rise in warm area until slightly puffed, about half an hour to 40 minutes for refrigerated dough and 15 to 20 minutes for room-temperature dough.

Lightly brush egg white on top of each loaf.

Generously spray water inside of oven (9 to 10 sprays), right away put loaves in oven.

Bake 10 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 400°F and continue baking until loaves are deep golden and sound hollow when tapped, 35 to 28 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool on wire rack completely.

Slice and serve.