With their not-too-tough, crusty exterior and soft, tender interior, these baguettes are a softer, yet tasty, alternative to more traditional baguette recipes. We like them whole for foot-long sandwiches; ripped into chunks for soaking up a saucy main meal, and/or sliced thin and toasted for a plethora of bruschetta toppings.
Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Mix together the water, orange juice, maple syrup, 6-grain flakes, and white whole wheat flour. Mix in the yeast, and allow the soft dough to rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir in the remaining ingredients, and mix and knead — by hand, mixer, or bread machine — until you have a smooth, elastic, slightly sticky dough.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
Gently deflate the dough, divide it into three equal pieces, and shape each piece into a flat 10" x 4" oval. Fold each oval in half lengthwise, and seal the edges with the heel of your hand. Flatten it slightly, then fold and seal on the other side.
With the seam side down, gently roll each piece of dough into a 13" log. Place the logs seam-side down into the wells of a lightly greased or floured stoneware baguette baker. Cover the baker with the lid, and let the baguettes rise until very puffy, 45 to 60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Just before baking, remove the lid of the baker, slash the tops of the baguettes several times, and spritz with water.
Return the lid to the baker and bake the baguettes for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer.
Remove the baker from the oven, and turn the baguettes out onto a rack to cool.
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