Easy French Baguettes Recipes

FRENCH BAGUETTES

Steps:

• Place 1 cup water, bread flour, sugar, salt and yeast into bread machine pan in the order recommended by manufacturer. Select Dough cycle, and press Start.
• When the cycle has completed, place dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
• Punch down dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 16x12 inch rectangle. Cut dough in half, creating two 8x12 inch rectangles. Roll up each half of dough tightly, beginning at 12 inch side, pounding out any air bubbles as you go. Roll gently back and forth to taper end. Place 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Make deep diagonal slashes across loaves every 2 inches, or make one lengthwise slash on each loaf. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water; brush over tops of loaves.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

CLASSIC FRENCH BAGUETTE

Steps:

• Make the Poolish: The night before making your baguettes or at least 6 hours before, make the poolish. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for the poolish. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it stand at room temperature for at least 6 hours, but preferably 8-10 hours.
• Combine the Dough: Add the rest of the ingredients for the baguette dough into the bowl with the poolish. Stir until well combined. It will appear as if there is not enough liquid at first, but as you work it together it will become a sticky dough. You may need to use your hands to knead it slightly to hydrate all the flour. As soon as all of the flour is hydrated and you have a shaggy dough with no dry spots, cover the bowl with a piece of plastic wrap and let it set at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Stretch and Fold: After the dough has rested for 30 minutes, you will do a series of three stretch and folds with the dough. With the dough still in the bowl, lightly dampen your hand (this will prevent the dough from sticking) and pull on one side of the dough and stretch it up and then fold it down over the top of the dough. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and do the same with the next side. Do this again until you have stretched all four sides of the dough up and over on itself. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 more minutes. Stretch and fold the dough for the second round. Cover and let rest for 30 more minutes. Stretch and fold for the third round. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 more minutes. This is a two-hour process from when the dough is mixed to when it is ready to be shaped. Four 30 minute resting periods with three stretch and folds in between.
• Prep the Oven & Other Equipment: During the final resting period, prep your pans and your oven. Position one oven rack in the very bottom position in the oven and another rack in the middle position. Place a cast-iron skillet or another heatproof skillet on the bottom rack and a baking stone, baking steel, or a sheet pan turned upside down on the middle rack. Preheat your oven to 500F (260C). You want your oven and pans to be heating for at least an hour before the bread goes into the oven. You will also need to set up a lightly floured lint-free towel or baker's couche to let your shaped dough rise on. Additionally, prepare a pizza peel or an unrimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
• Pre-Shape & Rest the Dough: If you have a scale, weigh the dough and divide it in two equal pieces by cutting it (do not tear it). Each piece should be about 305 grams each. You can also eyeball this if you do not have a scale. On a very lightly floured surface, press one piece of dough out into a rectangle and gently stretch the short ends out. Fold each short end into the center and press down with your fingertips to seal. Fold each long end into the center and press with your fingertips to seal, creating a seam in the dough. Set the dough aside and repeat this process with the second piece. Cover the pieces of dough with plastic wrap and let them rest for 10 minutes.
• Shape into Baguettes: With the seam side up, press the first piece of dough into a thin rectangle. Starting at the top left edge, begin folding down the dough about 1/2" (1.5 cm) and sealing it with your fingertips, working your way across the top. Repeat this process, continuing to fold down on the dough and sealing to create a tight log. Once you have a thin, tight log, turn it seam-side down. Using both hands, roll the dough on the countertop, working it into a long thin snake shape. Try to keep the dough as even as possible and work it into about a 14" (36 cm) baguette. Move the piece of dough to your prepared towel or baker's couche. Push the towel or couche up on both sides of the baguette to create folds to hold the dough's shape. Repeat this process with the second piece of dough.
• Let the Dough Rise: Cover the pieces of dough with plastic wrap and let them rest for 45-60 minutes until doubled in size.
• Transfer the Dough & Score: Place a baguette board or a small cutting board right beside one of the baguettes. Gently pull up on the towel to flip the baguette over onto the board. Move the baguette over to the parchment-lined pizza peel or unrimmed baking sheet. Gently flip the baguette onto the parchment paper, so that the seam side is down. Repeat this to move the second baguette over. Using a very sharp knife or a bread lame, cut 4-5 slashes in the top of the baguettes. The slashes should go diagonally and at a slight angle, going about 1/4" (.5 cm) deep.
• Bake: Fill a small bowl with about 2 cups of ice cubes. You want to work quickly and carefully when transferring the baguettes. Open the oven and gently slide the whole piece of parchment paper with the baguettes onto the preheated baking stone or sheet pan. Quickly pour the ice cubes into the preheated skillet and immediately shut the oven door. Turn the oven temperature down to 475F (246 C). Bake for about 25-40 minutes. It is traditional for baguettes to have a very dark crust. Check them at 25 minutes and decide if you would like a darker crust. I bake mine for 40 minutes for a dark, almost charred, crust.
• Cool: Allow the baguettes to cool before slicing. This will completely develop their flavor. Baguettes are best when eaten on the same day. However, leftover baguette can be wrapped in foil and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days.

CRUSTY FRENCH BAGUETTE RECIPE

Steps:

• Measure the warm water in a small bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Set aside and allow the yeast to dissolve and become foamy.
• Measure the bread flour into a large bowl and stir in the salt.
• Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and stir in the dissolved yeast.
• 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).
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, and gently press it into a rectangle and fold into thirds. Turn 90 degrees and repeat.
• 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).
• 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.
• Place the loaves on a floured towel, cover with oiled plastic wrap, and allow to rise until doubled in bulk (about 30 to 45 minutes).
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, and place a pan of water on the bottom rack.
• Uncover the baguettes and transfer to lightly greased baking sheets.
• Sprinkle with flour, and make 4 elongated slashes down each one with a lame, razor, or sharp knife.
• Bake the breads until crusty and brown (in my oven this takes around 35 to 40 minutes). The baguettes should give a hollow sound when tapped.

FRENCH BAGUETTE RECIPE

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients in a bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Over a period of 1 1/2 hours, do 3 sets of stretch and folds, flipping the dough upside down after each set.
• Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight for about 12-14 hours.
• Turn the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 3 equal parts and shape into rectangles. Cover and let rest for 45-60 minutes.
• Starting preheating the oven to 500F, with a baking stone positioned in the upper half the oven and a bread pan filled with hot water on the bottom rack.
• Stretch each dough rectangle slightly and fold into a cylinder, sealing the seams. Using your hands, roll the cylinders gently stretching them to desired length, about 14-15 inches.
• Place on a lightly floured couche, seam side up. Cover and proof at a room temperature for about 30-60 minutes, or until the dough has sufficiently proofed.
• Transfer the baguettes to a piece of parchment paper, seam side down and dust off excess flour. Using a bread lame, a sharp knife or a razor blade, make 3 scores on each baguette. When scoring, use a swift and firm motion to ensure nice and clean cuts.
• Open the oven, taking caution not to get burned by steam, and slide the baguettes off onto the baking stone. Close the oven and reduce temperature to 475F. Bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove the water pan, rotate the baguettes, drop the temperature to 450F and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until deep golden brown.

EASY FRENCH BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• 1. Mix: Using your electric mixer with a dough hook, mix the water, sugar, yeast and 2 cups of flour into the bowl. Allow to sit until yeast activates and begins to bubble. Add oil and salt.
• 2. Add: Slowly mix in remaining flour. You want the dough to just barely pull off the sides of your bowl once the flour is fully incorporated. It should still be a soft dough.
• 3. Knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• 4. Rise: Remove dough hook and form dough into a ball inside the bowl. Cover and allow to rise until double, about one hour.
• 5. Place dough gently onto a lightly floured surface. 6. Divide into four equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a general triangular shape. 7. Roll: Starting on the small point, roll and seal your way across the triangle until you have a small log. Roll the log on the counter to stretch your baguette to the proper length, keeping the thickness uniform across the loaf. Place dough into greased french bread pan, slit the top with a sharp knife and brush with an egg wash if desired. Allow to rise about 15-20 minutes.
• 8. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. The bread is completely baked at this point and can be cooled on racks. When it is time to serve, I prefer to place the loaves on the oven racks and bake them for an additional 5-7 minutes. This heats the bread and creates that great crust while keeping the interior soft and chewy. In my opinion, this last step makes all the difference.

CLASSIC FRENCH BAGUETTE

Steps:

• Place 1 cup water, yeast, and sugar into a large bowl and let proof for about five minutes.
• Slowly stir in the salt and flour until everything is combined and you can form into a ball.
• Place in a greased bowl (turning to cover the dough in it), and cover with a cloth or paper towel and let it raise for about 30 minutes in a warm area (or until doubled.)
• Once doubled, punch down and place on a lightly floured area.
• Roll into a 16x12 inch rectangle and cut in half (so you have two 8x12 inch rectangles.)
• Roll each piece of dough tightly, starting at one of the 12 inch sides. Remove air bubbles as they appear.
• Place on a greased baking sheet about 3 inches apart.
• Make diagonal slashes across the love every couple of inches.
• Brush with an egg wash or the garlic butter (or just butter). Sprinkle cheese on top if desired.
• Cover and let rise for about 45 minutes, or until doubled.
• While rising, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Bake about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

FRENCH BAGUETTES

Steps:

• To a small bowl, add the active yeast. Follow with the warm water and give the mixture a gentle stir. Let this mixture rest for 5 minutes.
• Combine the flour and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Add the yeast mixture and cold water, then continue to mix until a dough forms.
• Once a dough forms, swap in the hook attachment and knead the dough for 1 minute. Stop the mixer and let the dough rest for 5 minutes. Then knead the dough on low speed for another 1 minute, then let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
• Grease your work surface with some olive oil. Turn out the dough onto the oiled surface. Now, grab one end of the dough and stretch it out before bringing the flap in towards the center. Repeat this step for the remaining 3 sides of the dough to create a square pocket shape with a total of 4 flaps that have been folded into the center. Turn the dough over so that all the flaps are facing downward and the smooth side of the dough is facing upward. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Repeat this step with the stretching and folding, then let the dough rest for another 10 minutes.
• Lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil, then transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap; refrigerate the dough overnight. Note: Dough can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
• The next day, place the covered bowl of dough out on the counter 1 hour prior to baking. After an hour, preheat the oven to 475°F. Now, very gently turn the dough out onto a greased work surface. You want to do this as carefully as possible so as to not disturb the bubbles in the dough.
• Take a bench scraper, knife, or pizza cutter and divide the dough into 2-4 pieces (depending on the size of baguettes you want). The more you divide, the smaller and skinnier your baguettes will be.
• Gently shape the pieces of dough into baguettes by gently stretching and elongating the dough. Sprinkle flour on a baguette pan or a baking sheet and transfer the baguettes to the prepared pan.
• Sprinkle a touch of flour on the top of the baguettes, then use a sharp knife to score the baguettes. You'll want to cut a few slits (each about 1/4" to 1/2" deep) in the top of the baguettes.
• Bake the baguettes on the middle rack for 16 to 20 minutes until golden brown (baking time will depend on the size of the baguettes) and your type of oven. Throughout the baking process, use a spray bottle to spray water into the oven (in the space above the baguettes) every few minutes. Cool the baguettes on a wire cooling rack. (see note)

HOMEMADE FRENCH BAGUETTES

Steps:

• Combine the honey, yeast and 1/2 cup warm water. Stir to combine and let the mixture stand until the yeast is activated and begins to foam, 5 minutes.
• Mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl with a dough hook and slowly add in the yeast mixture. Gradually add 1 cup warm water and mix until the dough comes together into a ball that is not too wet (you may not need all of the water). If the dough is sticky, add a little bit more flour. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 2 to 6 minutes. You can do the thumbprint test: press in the dough with your thumb and it should bounce back when it's ready.
• Form the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly-oiled bowl and cover with a dishcloth, so it doesn't dry out. Let rest in a warm environment until doubled in size, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Punch down the dough and divide it in half. Shape into 2 baguettes by making a flat rectangle out of your dough, then folding the top and bottom towards the middle, like an envelope, and sealing the seam with your fingers. Keep repeating the folding and sealing, stretching the rectangle lengthwise as you go, until it's about 12 to 14 inches long and 2 inches wide. Fold and seal either end to round. Flip seam-side down and place on a sheet pan or baguette pan that has been dusted with cornmeal. Score the tops of the loaves, making deep diagonal slits 1/2-inch deep, cover with a dishcloth and let rise in a warm environment until they have doubled in size, 25 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and position your oven racks with one on the bottom and the other in the middle. Place an oven-safe (non-glass) bowl or pan on the bottom rack.
• When your bread has doubled for the second time, remove the towel and quickly and simultaneously, slide the sheet tray with the baguettes onto the middle rack while carefully throwing the ice cubes into the bowl on the bottom rack. The ice will create a burst of steam that will give you a nice crispy crust. Quickly shut the oven door so no steam escapes. Bake the baguettes until golden brown, 15 minutes.
• Cook's Note: If you have a glass window on your oven, place a towel over it when throwing the ice in, hot glass can shatter if ice touches it.
• Serving suggestions: ricotta cheese and acacia honey.