Baguette (Classic French Bread)
In short: Four ingredients and a long, cool rise give baguettes with a thin crackling crust, an open chewy crumb and a nutty wheat flavor. It takes about 1 h 5 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Resting
- 15 h
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 300 kcal
In France the baguette is bought fresh once or twice a day, and a good one has a thin crackling crust, a creamy open crumb and a nutty wheat flavor. Flour, water, salt and yeast are all you need, but time does the work: a long, cool fermentation builds flavor. Steam in the oven gives the crust its shine and crunch. This recipe makes three baguettes that are best eaten within hours of baking.
Instructions
- Mix the flour, water, salt and yeast in a large bowl until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- With wet hands, stretch one edge of the dough up and fold it over the center, turning the bowl a quarter turn. Repeat 8 times. Cover and rest for 30 minutes, then fold again. Repeat once more after another 30 minutes.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 12 to 16 hours. It will rise slowly and develop flavor.
- Turn the cold dough onto a floured surface and divide it into three pieces of about 290 g (10 oz) each. Pre-shape each into a loose rectangle, cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Fold each piece in thirds lengthwise, pressing the seam with the heel of your hand. Roll with both hands from the center outward into 40 cm (16 in) logs with tapered ends.
- Place the loaves seam side down on a floured towel, pleated between them, or on a floured baking tray. Cover and proof for 45 minutes, until puffy.
- Heat the oven to 245°C (475°F) with a heavy baking tray on the middle shelf and an empty metal pan on the bottom shelf. Boil a kettle.
- Move the loaves to a sheet of baking paper. Slash each with 4 diagonal cuts about 5 mm deep. Slide onto the hot tray, pour 250 ml (1 cup) boiling water into the bottom pan and close the door quickly.
- Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until deep golden and hollow-sounding when tapped underneath. Cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes.
Tips
- Handle the dough gently to keep the big irregular bubbles. Dust your hands and surface lightly, since too much flour makes the loaf dry.
- No baguette tray? Bake free-form on a preheated tray, or shape shorter loaves. Thicker loaves need 2 to 3 extra minutes.
Questions and answers
How do I get a crispy baguette crust at home?
Bake at a very high temperature with steam for the first 10 minutes. A pan of boiling water in the oven and a preheated tray under the loaves both help.
Can I make baguettes on the same day?
Yes. Use 4 g (1 1/2 tsp) of yeast and skip the fridge. Let the dough rise for 2 hours with folds, then shape and bake. The flavor will be milder.
How do I keep a baguette fresh?
Eat it the day it is baked. Wrap leftovers in a paper bag, or freeze sliced pieces for up to 2 months and refresh them in a hot oven for 5 minutes.
How long does it take to make Baguette (Classic French Bread)?
About 1 h 5 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Baguette (Classic French Bread)?
About 300 kcal per serving, with 10 g of protein, 62 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 300 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 10 g |
| Carbohydrates | 62 g |
| Fat | 1 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Sodium | 650 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
