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Authentic Baguette Recipe
Paris, France
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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
With its recognizable shape, crispy golden brown exterior, and undeniable charm, a baguette is a world-renowned staple of French cuisine and culture. Extremely prominent in its home country, the bread can be bought nearly everywhere, in one of the numerous boulangeries. This elongated, slender kind of bread is traditionally made solely with wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt. The authentic dough composition is defined by law, and can, besides the essential ingredients, incorporate small amounts of broad bean, soya, or wheat malt flour. Artisanal loaves are sometimes made with bread starter instead of yeast, which enhances the flavor complexity. A typical baguette weighs about 250 grams (8.8 oz), has about 5 or 6 cm (2 inches) in width, and is approximately 65 cm (25.6 inches) long. The preparation starts by mixing the required ingredients and kneading a smooth dough, which is then left to rise for several hours. The risen dough is then shaped into a baguette form, sliced with ... Read more
Cooking tips
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flour
The traditional French baguette is made with type 55 flour, which has less protein than the regular all-purpose flour (usually around 11.5 %). Since type 55 is not easily found in stores outside of France, try buying it online or simply use the unbleached all-purpose flour. -
poolish
Poolish, a wet sponge (pre-ferment) made with equal amounts of flour and water, and some yeast, increases the extensibility and the flavor complexity of the dough. If working with a pre-fermented dough, make sure it does not become overripe, since that will destroy the gluten and make the dough weak and hard to handle. -
method
Avoid kneading the dough. Instead, fold it over at least twice before shaping the loaves. The dough needs to be very sticky because its moist consistency is responsible for the chewy texture of the bread. Make sure not to over-proof the dough once you have shaped it (an adequately proofed baguette should be just shy of doubled in volume). When proofing, the loaves need to be supported from the sides ... Read more -
authentic features
The authentic loaf should have a deep golden brown-colored exterior and a cream-colored interior. The crust needs to be very crispy. The crumb should have irregular alveoli and elasticity, meaning it should spring back once pressed. A traditional kind has a lightly sweet and yeasty scent. The flavor should be nutty, buttery, sweet, and savory.
Recipe variations
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Poolish Baguette
Ready in 4h 25minThe following recipe is adapted from the French Culinary Institute's Fundamental Techniques of Classic Bread Baking. It shows how to make baguettes with poolish, a type of pre-ferment made with commercial yeast often used in French baking that gives flavor and softness to the dough. Note to take resting time into account when planning on making this recipe.
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Sourdough Baguette
Ready in 1d 10hThe following is the sourdough baguette recipe, which is a bit more complicated than the typical traditional one made with yeast. Still, besides yeast-leavened baguettes, the traditional recipe states that baguettes can also be made with the sourdough starter. The levain is ready to use when it has at least doubled in size and is light and feathery, with visible yeast strands when being scooped out of the jar. Be mindful not to let it rest for too long or in a room too warm because it will become watery and hard to work with. If you wish for a more open end crumb, add 50-100 ml (3-7 tbsp) more water to the dough to make it wetter. The whole process of making this bread lasts for over a day, so take all of the proofing and resting time into account when planning.
Baguette
PREP 20min
COOK 20min
RESTING 5h 30min
READY IN 6h 10min
The following recipe gives instructions on how to prepare traditional baguettes. The ingredients needed are just flour, water, yeast, and salt. Take into account the resting time when planning.
Ingredients
1 kg (2.2 lbs) flour, plus extra for sprinkling
18g (1 tbsp) salt
720 ml (3 cups) water
10g (2 tsp) yeast
Preparation
Step 1/6
Thoroughly combine all of the ingredients using a stand mixer with a dough hook. Knead for 10 minutes until slick.
Step 2/6
Let the dough rest for 5 hours.
Step 3/6
Divide the rested dough into 3 pieces, each weighing 350g (12.3 oz). Use your hands to shape the pieces into long baguettes. Let the dough rest for another half an hour.
Step 4/6
Set the oven to 250ºC (480°F).
Step 5/6
Sprinkle the pieces with some flour and use a knife to produce 5 diagonal scores lengthwise across the baguettes.
Step 6/6
Bake the loaves of bread in the oven for 20 minutes. Finished baguettes are best served within 3 hours of baking.
Other Variations
-
Poolish Baguette
Ready in 4h 25minThe following recipe is adapted from the French Culinary Institute's Fundamental Techniques of Classic Bread Baking. It shows how to make baguettes with poolish, a type of pre-ferment made with commercial yeast often used in French baking that gives flavor and softness to the dough. Note to take resting time into account when planning on making this recipe.
-
Sourdough Baguette
Ready in 1d 10hThe following is the sourdough baguette recipe, which is a bit more complicated than the typical traditional one made with yeast. Still, besides yeast-leavened baguettes, the traditional recipe states that baguettes can also be made with the sourdough starter. The levain is ready to use when it has at least doubled in size and is light and feathery, with visible yeast strands when being scooped out of the jar. Be mindful not to let it rest for too long or in a room too warm because it will become watery and hard to work with. If you wish for a more open end crumb, add 50-100 ml (3-7 tbsp) more water to the dough to make it wetter. The whole process of making this bread lasts for over a day, so take all of the proofing and resting time into account when planning.
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