Crusty French Baguette Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 tablespoons warm water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast*
- 3 3/4 cups bread flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cup cool water)
(you may not need all of the water
- additional flour
for dusting
Directions
- 1
Place the warm water in a small bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Set aside and allow the yeast to dissolve and become foamy.
- 2
Place the bread flour into a large bowl and stir in the salt.
- 3
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and stir in the dissolved yeast.
- 4
Add the cool water, a little at a time, while stirring, just until a stiff, shaggy dough (watch the video below to see what this should look like) has formed (you may not need to use all of the water).
- 5
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
- 6
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, gently press it into a rectangle, and fold the short sides into the center. Flatten, turn 90 degrees, and repeat.
- 7
Place the dough in a large oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 to 2 hours).
- 8
Divide the dough into 4 equal portions, and shape each one into a long loaf (about 15-inches long and 1 1/2-inches in diameter), with pointed ends.
- 9
Place the loaves on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with oiled plastic wrap, and allow to rise until doubled in bulk (about 30 to 45 minutes).
- 10
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, and place a pan of water on the bottom rack.
- 11
Uncover the baguettes, sprinkle them lightly with flour, and make 4 elongated slashes down each one with a lame, razor, or sharp knife.
- 12
Bake the breads until crusty and brown (approx. 30 to 40 minutes). The baguettes should give a hollow sound when tapped.
Crusty French Baguette Recipe
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About this Recipe
Imagine the aroma of freshly baked bread filling your kitchen, then tearing into a loaf with that perfect, crackling crust. You can achieve this culinary dream right at home with our Crusty French Baguette Recipe, a straightforward path to bakery-quality results.
This recipe stands out because it distills the art of baguette baking down to its essentials, relying on only four fundamental ingredients to deliver truly authentic French flavors. Despite its impressive outcome, the process is surprisingly forgiving and largely hands-off. It’s a testament to how simple techniques and quality ingredients, combined with patience, yield an exceptional crusty French loaf that tastes like it came from a Parisian boulangerie.
Get ready for an incredibly satisfying baking experience that engages all your senses. You'll be rewarded with a baguette boasting a deeply golden, audibly crisp crust that shatters delightfully with each bite, hinting at the effort that went into its creation. Inside, the crumb will be airy, tender, and wonderfully chewy, offering a delicate, yeasty flavor that perfectly complements virtually any meal. This isn't just bread; it's an experience, a celebration of the fundamental flavors of great bread, letting the quality of simple ingredients shine through in every fragrant slice. You'll find the entire process less daunting than you might imagine, with much of the total time dedicated to the magic of rising dough.
While this recipe champions a minimalist approach to classic French baguettes, it offers practical flexibility within its core ingredients to help you achieve perfect results. The amount of cool water is given with the note that you may not need all of it, allowing you to adjust based on your environment's humidity and the specific absorbency of your bread flour, ensuring you achieve the ideal dough consistency. Similarly, additional flour for dusting is provided, empowering you to adapt to the dough's texture as you work and prevent sticking, making the shaping process more manageable.
This versatile baguette is perfect for soaking up rich stews, building gourmet sandwiches, or elevating a simple charcuterie board. It's an ideal, impressive addition to any family dinner or a sophisticated touch for entertaining guests, always best served fresh from the oven.