Baguette (The Easiest Recipe) Recipe
This classic baguette recipe offers a straightforward method to bake crispy, golden baguettes with a soft, chewy interior. Using simple ingredients and minimal equipment, these homemade baguettes are perfect for sandwiches, dipping, or serving alongside your favorite meals. The recipe involves a simple dough mix, two rises for perfect texture, scoring for traditional appearance, and baking at high heat to achieve a crunchy crust.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 to 3 baguettes 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups (450g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (1 packet)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) warm water
Instructions
- Mix the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast. Gradually add the warm water while mixing until a sticky dough forms.
- Knead: Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead it for about 8 to 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic, which develops the gluten structure.
- First Rise: Place the kneaded dough into a greased bowl and cover it with a damp cloth. Let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, or until it doubles in size, allowing the yeast to ferment and create air pockets.
- Shape the Baguettes: Punch down the risen dough and divide it into two or three equal portions. Shape each piece into a long baguette-style loaf by rolling and pinching the seams closed to hold the shape.
- Second Rise: Place the shaped baguettes on a parchment-lined baking sheet or baguette pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let them rise again for 30 to 45 minutes to develop volume and lightness.
- Score the Dough: Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Using a sharp knife or razor blade, make shallow diagonal slashes across the top of each baguette to allow gases to escape and to create the classic baguette appearance.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the crust is golden brown and crisp. To achieve a crunchier crust, place a shallow pan of water in the oven during baking to create steam.
- Cool: Remove the baguettes from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing, allowing the crumb to set properly.
Notes
- Use warm water, around 100°F (38°C), to activate the yeast effectively.
- Kneading helps develop gluten, which can also be done using a stand mixer with a dough hook if desired.
- The steam in the oven is key to achieving a crisp crust—try adding water to a pan at the bottom of the oven or misting the oven walls before baking.
- Store leftover baguettes in a paper bag at room temperature to maintain the crust.
- For best results, consume within 1-2 days or freeze for longer storage.
Keywords: baguette recipe, easy baguette, homemade bread, French bread, crispy crust bread
Find it online: https://recipeswithmia.com/baguette-the-easiest-recipe-recipe/
