While experimenting using our basic dough recipe I decided to try my hand at making a baguette. Being a champion of simplified recipes I know that this
will not be exactly like the authentic French baguette, but I think it’s pretty close. I am by no means a seasoned bread maker, but that’s why I’m most excited to share this simplified recipe with you. The technique does take some time because it requires resting time but the result is worth the effort.
Since this recipe uses our basic dough recipe this means any time you have too much dough you can use the excess to make baguette.
If you want to develop more flavour to your baguette, make the dough the night before and let it rise covered in the fridge.
You’re going to let this dough rise once in the bowl and twice on the baking sheet. Multiple rises allows the bread to get an even smaller bubble distribution and finer crumb. It also allows flavor to build.
When making dough it’s always better to have wetter softer dough but it’s a little more important in bread making. As you follow the recipe you may need a little more or a little less water than the recipe recommends and that’s because these variables change slightly depending on the humidity in your kitchen. For the sake of making a baguette keep the dough a little more on the tacky side and add flour to the surface of your counter and pans when you transfer the dough over. Finally, try not to stress because the most important part of baking is having fun.
DIRECTIONS
- Add flour, salt and sugar to medium size bowl; combine. Make a well in the center of the flour; pour water into well and sprinkle yeast over water surface. Add oil to well, let sit for a couple of minutes to allow yeast to activate.
- Use a spoon to mix the dry and wet ingredients together, and once incorporated well; Turn onto floured surface and continue to knead until smooth and elastic and just slightly tacky.
Tip: if the dough is too wet add small amounts of flour as you knead.
Tip: use the dough scraper to help bring the dough together and off of your kneading surface.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or lid for 1 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Carefully turn out the dough on lightly floured surface. It will fall in a round shape, manipulate the dough gently into slightly elongated shape and divide into two equal pieces; Now lift dough from each edge and tuck into the middle; repeat with all sides. So you you will lift away from you, towards you and in from each side.
- Transfer on to lightly floured baking sheet, seam side down and shape dough into a small loaf by slightly lengthening the dough. cover and rest 20- 25 minutes.
4. At this stage, you will need to shape each baguette by flattening dough slightly into rectangle, then folding it half way back on itself down the length, press then tuck and roll it like a tight Swiss roll; finally roll with fingers to form the dough into 16″ log with tapered ends. (see below for photos instructions)
5. Set baguette seam side down to rest; dust with flour and cover with a clean cloth for another 45 minutes; preheat oven to 500° F once loaf is almost done resting.
Tip: you can check if loaf is ready by pressing lightly with finger, if the dough bounces back half way it’s ready for the oven.
6. Prep a second deeper tray filled half way with water; the water will create steam in the oven which will give the bread a crispy crust. place on bottom rack as oven preheats.
8. Using a very sharp knife held at angle, make 3 to 5 long diagonal cuts down the length of the loaf; make sure to keep some space between the loaves to allow room for expanding.
9. Place baguette tray on middle rack; Bake until deeply golden brown, about 15 – 20 minutes.
Easy Baguette
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose white flour We add some whole grain at times
- 1 cup warm water 100 F
- 1 tsp. yeast
- 2 tbsp olive optional for flavour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tbsp. sugar
Instructions
- Add flour, salt, and sugar to a medium-size bowl; combine. Make a well in the center of the flour; pour water into the well and sprinkle yeast over the water surface. Add oil to well, let sit for a couple of minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
- Use a spoon to mix the dry and wet ingredients together, and once incorporated well; Turn onto a floured surface and continue to knead until smooth and elastic and just slightly tacky.Tip: if the dough is too wet add small amounts of flour as you knead.Tip: use the dough scraper to help bring the dough together and off of your kneading surface.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or lid for 1 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Carefully turn out the dough on a lightly floured surface. It will fall in a round shape, manipulate the dough gently into a slightly elongated shape and divide into two equal pieces; Now lift the dough from each edge and tuck into the middle; repeat with all sides. So you will lift away from you, towards you and, in from each side.
- Transfer on to the lightly floured baking sheet, seam side down, and shape dough into a small loaf by slightly lengthening the dough. cover and rest 20- 25 minutes.
- At this stage, you will need to shape each baguette by flattening dough slightly into a rectangle, then folding it halfway back on itself down the length, press then tuck and roll it like a tight Swiss roll; finally, roll with fingers to form the dough into 16"long with tapered ends. (see below for photos instructions)
- Set baguette seam side down to rest; dust with flour and cover with a clean cloth for another 45 minutes; preheat oven to 500° F once loaf is almost done resting.
- Tip: you can check if loaf is ready by pressing lightly with finger, if the dough bounces back half way it’s ready for the oven.
- Prep a second deeper tray filled half way with water; the water will create steam in the oven which will give the bread a crispy crust. place on bottom rack as oven preheats.
- Using a very sharp knife held at angle, make 3 to 5 long diagonal cuts down the length of the loaf; make sure to keep some space between the loaves to allow room for expanding.
- Place baguette tray on middle rack; Bake until deeply golden brown, about 15 – 20 minutes.
- Remove onto cooling rack; enjoy.